Should I live in a dorm?

<p>Hey CC forums,</p>

<p>So... I'll be 24 when I transfer from a community college to a real university (as an undergraduate junior) next fall. I've spent the past five years living with roommates in apartments, in a house with a person I dated, and then even some time back in my parents house. I really really really like to cook, and I covet efficient, workable, and clean kitchen spaces. My days of "oh! hey! no parents! lets see how many shots of vodka we can drink!" are long over.</p>

<p>But... I feel as if I'm missing out on a quintessential college experience: dorm room living. I am tempted to sign up to live in a dorm next year just so that I no longer feel that I'm missing out. </p>

<p>What do you think, CC forums? Would living in a dorm, if only for one semester/quarter really do me that much harm? Do they have dorms with kitchens? Do they have dorms without drunk 18 year olds which I would be allowed to live in? (I know there are grad. student only dorms, but I won't be a grad student... I will be a 24 year old undergrad.)</p>

<p>Or did I really just miss the boat on the whole dorm experience? </p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Uuu</p>

<p>
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Do they have dorms with kitchens? Do they have dorms without drunk 18 year olds which I would be allowed to live in?

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</p>

<p>As far as kitchens, it depends on the college and on the dorm, most schools discuss dorm accommodations on their websites. Same with "dry" or OTA student dorms or halls, it varies by school. Also, some schools have on campus apartments which could be a compromise.</p>

<p>I kinda think you'd be pretty unhappy in a dorm with mostly frosh. See if the colleges you're interested in have options for jr/sr students.</p>

<p>coming from a 19 y/0 sophmore, speaking strictly from mine own experience at a school whose students are almost all exclusively 18-22</p>

<p>i think it would be very creepy living with a 24 year old on my floor, would seem way out of place...lots of dorms have kitchens, but mind you that you will most likely be sharing them with your whole floor...again, from my own personal experience, i would not want to cook in the kitchens that we have on campus</p>

<p>gl</p>

<p>As dbjesus said, you'd likely be sharing a kitchen with a whole floor or whole building, unless you have an on-campus apartment, the cost of which is usually more than twice what an equivalent set-up off-campus would cost. And, as he also correctly noted, in typical dorms you'd be atypical. However, some college have transfer dorms/apartments where the age would less of an issue, and where you could still get the more normal dorm experience, but without people who're thrilled to be drinking their first 40.</p>