I’m a senior in high school but I’ve been thinking about college a lot, to the point where I’ve been thinking about what my living situation may be. I have one school that I’m really interested in (it’s a “target” school for me) so I’ve begun to look through their housing options. For freshmen, they offer a co-Ed hall style dorm in which there’s 3 to a dorm (which I think is crazy) or a suite style (not sure how many to a room, I’m hoping 2?) conjoined with another room, so they share a private bathroom. I don’t like the idea of being cramped in a room with two other people, and I’d also hate to walk through a co-Ed hall to get to the bathroom and have to share a bathroom with so many people. I’m an only child so this will all be new to me, lol. I’ve been leaning a lot towards suite style because I have a severe anxiety disorder and I’d feel considerably more comfortable only sharing a conjoined bathroom with 3 other people, opposed to an entire hall (messes don’t really bother me, so it’s not that that I’m worried about). I kind of feel like I need a private place to go if I were to have a panic attack. My anxiety surrounds my health so I feel like it’d be easier to catch something in a bathroom that everyone in a hall shares, opposed to one for just 3 other people. I know it’s ridiculous that I think about that, but I do. But I’ve also been told that suite style makes it harder to make friends, is that true? And which option sounds like it would be better in my situation? I’ve also considered rushing a sorority so what’s that housing like? I’d appreciate hearing any experiences people have with either housing option!
I think that the suite style room is the way to go. Honestly, I don’t think that being in that rooming situation will make it hard to make friends. I mean as long as you don’t spend all of your free time in your room you should be fine. I suffer from anxiety and depression ( and yes I realize all cases are different) but I think having a private bathroom is wonderful. I am going into my junior year and I was placed into a communal bathroom set up my freshman year. Yes, I made it through and it was odd because I felt like it was always empty. The high traffic time was at night when everyone wanted to shower but even then it wasn’t that bad. But if I had the option I would have chosen to have a private bathroom in a suite style set up.
Not sure about sorority housing. It depends on what school you are going to. Some schools have sorority houses on campus ( like a sorority row) or some have off campus houses that the sorority has claimed as their house. As a freshman, I am sure that you can’t live in the house until your sophomore year, I think. Also most schools want you to stay on campus for your freshman year but rushing a sorority is a good way to make new friends. You will also be meeting people in class and around campus.
I lived in a triple in a four room suite my freshman year. I was so glad to have a private toilet and shower. Socializing wasn’t an issue if you took the time to talk to your floormates and such. Suites did have a reputation of being less social than the traditional halls because it was a lot easier to stay in your suite all day; in the traditional dorms you at least have to come out to go to the bathroom and shower, so you can’t stay in your room all day without coming out occasionally.
Personally I’m introverted and need my quiet alone time periodically, so the suite layout was perfect for me. I could go out in the common room or floor lounge and be social when I wanted, or I could hide in my room and have my quiet time as needed. My suite had a few doors between the hall and each bedroom which helped with filtering out noise when you needed it quiet for whatever reason.
If money is an issue, one thing to look into when choosing a traditional hall versus a suite is whether there’s a cost difference between the two at a given school. At my school they both cost the same, but every school is different so make sure to check.
Suite. In addition to the other reasons listed, studies have shown suite bathrooms are much safer because it is more difficult for outsiders to gain access.
If you love yourself, go suite style. Kidding. But not really. Suite style is the best.
Suite style is the best but I think as an incoming freshman you should do a 2-bed dorm style. My D just went off to college, she had her own bedroom and bathroom all her life and decided to do the traditional all-freshman dorm with communal shower and toilet. There were a number of reasons:
- Meet more people. The traditional style at my D's college is ALL freshman, and the suite style is available to anyone. She wanted to experience freshman life with other freshman and her "graduating class" and not be influenced by upper classmen in the dorms.
- Cleaner. The communal bathrooms and showers we found were much cleaner than the shared suite bathrooms. At D's college, there are people round the clock cleaning the communal areas, the suite bathroom cleaning is the responsibility of the people in the suites. If you are a clean freak and the others aren't, you will find yourself cleaning up after yourself (as well as your suitemates) in the bathroom constantly.
- Healthier. When we were touring dorms, we noticed that the suite style dorms with shared bathrooms were closed in and stuffy. Add to that 4 people taking showers, with all that humidity and no where to escape. Mold grows, etc. etc. etc. - we have seen plenty of moldy showers in a lot of suite style dorm bathrooms.
Once D is a sophomore and up, she will probably choose suite style, as I’m sure that the freshman dorm-style communal bathroom will have worn off, besides, she will most likely choose the suite style with a shared kitchen (an option on her campus), but as an incoming freshman, I suggest doing a freshman only dorm and enjoying your freshman year to it’s fullest, with your graduating class! You can always do suite style as an upper classman.
Regarding rushing a sorority, does the sorority have a house? My oldest D was in a sorority and decided not to house in the sorority as the house rules where pretty tight and rigid. I did a house tour during family weekend and it appeared that most of the girls planned themed rooms and color coordinated everything in their room together so be prepared to share decorating ideas with your roommate before going out and buying bedding, etc. that you like.