Living in a dorm is the cornerstone of a stereotypical post-secondary experience. You can’t watch a movie or show about university without seeing dorms. But media often glosses over the less savoury part of living in dorms, and doesn’t capture the real fun of it. Here are a few real pros and cons about living in dorms.

Pros

One of the biggest pros for living in a dorm is the cost. Typically, living in a dorm is much less expensive than living off-campus, especially in high population areas like cities. Also, most of the time you get a meal plan included with the cost, so you don’t have to worry about shopping for groceries and cooking your own meals every day.

Another great thing about living in dorms is the people you meet. Being in dorms is a great way to make new friends, and introduces you to people that you may want to move out with once your time in the dorms are up. Just don’t be shy! Everyone there is in the same boat as you. The social environment of living in a setting like dorms is very relaxed and fun (albeit distracting at times) and can provide you with an easy way to unwind after writing a stressful paper. There is a sense of community among your flatmates, and having friends that can help you push through some of the harder stretches can be a real blessing.

Cons

While the social environment of dorms is immersive and fun, it also doesn’t leave room for a lot of privacy. In most dorms, there is a good chance that you will be sharing a room with at least one other person as well as sharing a bathroom with your floor. Don’t let that put you off too much, though. Male and female bathrooms are still almost always separated, and university/college schedules are so non-uniform that there’s a good chance that your morning routine will still stay private. Another con is that even if you don’t like your roommate or someone on the floor, you’re stuck with that person for the rest of your stay, and you’re probably going to see them a lot, too. Finally, although the social atmosphere is fun, it can get to be distracting. The constant partying isn’t great if you’re trying to wake up for an early class, and it can be distracting if you are trying to get work done.

Living in a dorm is a really solid idea, especially for first year. Meeting people in your first year can be hard, but if you live in a dorm you should have no trouble making friends. More than just the social aspect, though, is the sense of community with your floor mates. It’s really a unique feeling, and I would highly recommend spending at least a year in a dorm, even just for the experience.