My biggest fear coming to college as a freshman was living in a dorm.
I had seen countless TikToks showing rats, mold, roommate horror stories, and more.
The thought of living anywhere else but home scared me.
But now, after experiencing what it is like to live in a dorm, I’m here to share my story.
Choosing My Dorm
When I was filling out my housing application for SUNY Fredonia, I had the option to choose either a double room, single room, suite, and more.
Everyone that I knew had a roommate already, so I decided to apply for a single dorm room.
Fortunately, because of my school’s low enrollment, I was granted my request.
I was thrilled–I’d heard enough terrible roommate horror stories to know that having my own space would save me a lot of stress.
One of my first challenges was figuring out what size two twin beds pushed together would be. I assumed it was a queen, so I brought queen-sized sheets and a comforter–only to find out that they would not fit.
Lesson learned: Two twin beds pushed together make a king-sized bed.
One pro tip for pushing the beds together is to ratchet strap the mattresses together so they are secure, and bolt the bed frames together. Trust me, they won’t budge.
Preparing for move in
Weeks before move-in day, check your schools page for room dimensions so you know how much space you’re working with.
If possible, watch videos from students at your school to get a sense of the lighting, color, and layout of the rooms. This can help you plan your decorations and storage solutions.
Roommates: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown
I can’t speak much from personal experience since I’ve never had a roommate, but here’s what I’ve gathered from friends and social media.
Many students find roommates through Facebook or Instagram pages for their class year (e.g., Fredonia Class of 2025)
These pages allow students to post pictures with a small bio introducing themselves.
In the post, students include social media accounts which you can add them on.
Find some students who match your vibe, and add them on social media.
This can build a relationship with your peers and it could lead you to your future roommate.
Some people room with friends from high school, but from what I’ve seen, that rarely ends well–I wouldn’t recommend it.
If you don’t pick your roommate, most schools use a survey to match you based on compatibility. This method is hit or miss–I’ve heard stories of rommates becoming best friends and others becoming worst enemies.
Regardless, try to make the best out of the situation. If problems arise, you can always talk to your RA or residence life about switching roommates or rooms.
Sharing a Bathroom
Sharing a bathroom in college is very different from at home, but honestly, it’s not that bad.
A system that works for me is having a cosmetic bag with essentials like my toothbrush, toothpaste, facewash and mouthwash.
Having it all in one bag will ensure that nothing gets lost or misplaced.
For showering, I use a plastic shower caddy (not the mesh one–it will mold) to hold my facewash, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razor, shaving cream, facewash, and lufa.
I recommend just getting a cheap one from Walmart because it will get gross from the shower products.
Always wear shower shoes. You never know what’s on the floor.
You can find cheap slides on Amazon. I just use an old pair of flip-flops and they work just fine.
I also suggest bringing extra towels, a robe, and a hair towel for walking to and from the bathroom.
The Kitchen Situation
Shared kitchens are nothing like cooking at home.
Most students opt for a meal plan because cooking in a dorm is often inconvenient.
Depending on your school, some dorms may only have 1 or 2 kitchens and they may be far from your room.
In my building, there’s just one kitchen on the first floor, and honestly, I’m too lazy to haul all my food and appliances down there.
Instead, I stick to frozen meals and quick options like microwavable noodles.
Shared kitchens also come with common issues–people leaving dirty dishes, stealing food, and making a mess.
If you don’t want to deal with that, I highly recommend a meal plan or microwave-friendly meals.
Final Thoughts
Living in a dorm isn’t as bad as I expected. It’s definitely an adjustment, but it teaches independence and gives you a taste of living on your own.
You will learn so much about yourself and grow as a person.
Plus, dorm life can lead to lifelong friendships.
If you’re nervous about living on campus, don’t stress too much. You will adapt and it will feel like home.
