Is Living in a Dorm Worth It? Pros & Cons - By a Recent Grad

Living in a dorm has its pros and cons. However the question many new college students have, is whether living in a dorm is worth it. As a recent college graduate, I’ve seen both sides of the coin and I have a good idea on why it may or may not work for you.

Generally, the decision to live in a dorm depends on the student’s budget, wants, needs and preferences. It’s important to understand the positives and negatives to living in a dorm before you make your decision.

With that being said, here are the pros and cons to living in a dorm:

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Pros to Living in a Dorm

Here are the pros to living in a college dorm:

Convenience

It’s no secret that one of the best parts about living in college dorms is the convenience. Living on campus means that your classes, other students and activities will always be within walking distance.

If you’re someone who values their sleep, then you will really appreciate living on campus. Instead of needing to spend time commuting to college in the mornings, you will be in close proximity to all of your classes.

As a freshman, being near the computer lab, library and gym will be super convenient and a great way to meet new people.

Freedom

One of the great parts about dorm living is the freedom you get. For most college students, moving into a dorm is the first time they will be living independently and away from home.

When you live in a dorm, you will have a lot more freedom than when you are living at home with your family. Many students like living in dorms because of the freedom that they get.

Many students spend their freshman year of college taking advantage of their new found freedom and enjoying the college experience.

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Independence

One of the pros to living in a college dorm is the independence it gives you. Living on your own in a dorm is valuable experience that you can take into the real world.

Having to make your own bed everyday, clean up after yourself and wake yourself up in the morning is just part of college life. Taking care of yourself is a big part of growing up, so living in a dorm is a great way to learn independent living skills.

Social Life

Dorm life is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. By living on campus, you will always be surrounded by other students who are looking to have a good time in college.

One of the major pros about living on campus is that something is always happening. You’ll always have dorm parties to go to, friends to hang out with or campus events to attend.

Throughout the school year, you will meet more and more people which will make your campus life so much better. The more friends you make in your first year of college the better.

That way you will always have people to hang out with, you will see people you know in the residence halls and you will have an exciting social life.

Academics

Most students who live on campus get higher grades as they are nearby the library, computer lab and other resources which can help with academics. If you live on campus, going to see your professor during office hours will never be an issue since you are nearby.

Students who live off-campus will have to spend time commuting, cooking for themselves and doing homework on their own. Students who live on campus are within walking distance of their classes, have a meal plan and can study with their friends at school.

The College Experience

Part of the college experience is living in a dorm on the college campus. College is a once in a lifetime opportunity so it’s important that you make the most out of it.

If you want the full college experience then you should try living in a dorm. Living in a dorm has its pros and cons, however these are the only years where you will be able to live the college lifestyle.

I met some of my best friends in college and we often reflect back and miss our times in college. There is so much freedom, so little responsibility and so much fun in college.

Cons to Living in a Dorm

Here are the cons to living in a college dorm:

Cost

In the United States, the cost of a college dorm at a public school is around $11,500 for the academic year. The average cost of room for private colleges is around $12,900 per year which is extremely expensive for student housing.

It’s no secret that college costs a ton of money and many students have to take out student loans. One of the major reasons that students don’t live on campus is because the cost of living is so expensive.

At times, an off-campus apartment can be a cheaper option and it has some pros that you can’t find with on-campus living. Living in your own apartment means that you can choose your roommates, the location of the apartment and you will be off campus.

Another option, is staying home while you do college. Now, this option is hard since many students travel to different states to go to college, however it is the most affordable option.

If you live close to your college, consider living at home since you will save a ton of money.

Roommates

One of the major cons about living on campus is that you will have a roommate and at certain colleges won’t let you choose your roommate. If you get stuck with a roommate who is messy, loud or someone you just don’t get along with, then you’re in for a long semester!

When I was in college, I had a friend who would always complain about his roommate. Apparently his roommate would never shower and would always steal his snacks.

Having an awful roommate is something that can happen in college dorms and it is the worst!

If you live in an off-campus apartment, you will get to choose your roommates. This is the best way to ensure that you’re with your friends throughout college.

Privacy

Unless you have a single dorm room, you will be sharing a room with another student, which means you won’t have privacy. Living in close quarters, will make you appreciate the privacy you had at home.

The lack of privacy is one of the main reasons why living off-campus is better than living in a dorm room. If you live off-campus in an apartment complex or at home, at least you will have your own private living space.

Space

If you live on campus, than you’re going to be living in a small dorm room. The major issue with living in dorms is that there just isn’t a lot of space.

If you value a spacious living area and your privacy, getting your own apartment may be a good idea.

Food

If you’re living on campus then there’s a good chance that you won’t have a kitchen. This means that you will be stuck eating at the cafeteria, dining hall or other campus restaurants.

On this positive side, you won’t have to worry about cooking. However, one of the negatives is that the food can become very repetitive and sometimes you won’t like the food options.

Some students will end up ordering food on Uber Eats and DoorDash, however overtime this does become very costly.

If you are capable of cooking for yourself, you may enjoy living on your own. This is a great way to become fully independent and to have control of what food you are eating on a daily basis.

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Final Thoughts on Is Living in a College Dorm Worth it?

Living in a college dorm really comes down to preference. For some, living in a college dorm is worth it because they meet new people, are conveniently near school and they get the college experience.

For others, living off-campus is better because it’s more affordable, more spacious and the roommate situation is better. The decision really depends on what you value as well as your wants and needs.

In this post, I share the pros and cons to living in a college dorm room.

Are you planning on living on campus in a dorm or off-campus? Please let me know in the comments below.

Is Living in a Dorm Worth It? Pros & Cons – By a Recent Grad