If you hit the jackpot and got a suite-style dorm instead of a single-room dorm, then get ready, because living in a suite in and of itself offers its own unique experience.Before we get into the pros and cons of the suite, let’s get into the nitty gritty.
So you’ve just found out that you were indeed approved for a housing space from ___ University. It says you’re in a suite living with four to seven other roommates. What does that mean?
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Typically, a suite is composed of multiple, usually three to five rooms, with a shared floor plan. The suite includes a living room, bathroom and/or kitchen. In most cases, there are two people per room—a “double,” but there are occasionally three people per room—a “triple.” You have your own individual room, shared with your direct roommate(s), and then if you walk outside your room, you have a hallway and shared space shared with the rest of your suitemates. So what happens when you put that many college-aged people into a shared living space together and how do you survive it?
1. Someone is always home. Try and find time for yourself anyway.
This is college. You will most likely have to deal with your suitemate suddenly barging through the front door and running to the bathroom, throwing up at 2 am. You’re going to be sitting in your room when suddenly your roommate walks in, crying about her boyfriend. One of your suitemates is going to have the weirdest friends over. Just remember: it’s all college. We’re just a bunch of old kids trying to figure out how to adult. Weird stuff happens. It’s okay. Just remember to communicate with your suitemates if anything happens that makes you uncomfortable or vice versa. Boundaries are key.
3. 1 Suite divided by 8 people = HOW MUCH Toilet Paper? Be organized.
One of the first things I highly recommend doing to make your suite life a lot better: come up with a system that works for you and all your suitemates on how you are going to split up any household essentials, especially toilet paper, but also things like paper towels, soap, cleaning supplies, etc.What usually happens is that a couple brave souls try and bring toilet paper for everyone. Then, after they’ve run out, no one else contributes and it suddenly becomes a free for all. Before you know it, now everyone has to bring their own toilet paper roll from their closet into the bathroom every time they need to use it. Now, that’s great and all, but you start to feel the struggle when you’re rushing into the bathroom after coming from a class that took forever or when your friends have to pee and you forget to give them the roll. Avert these unfortunate scenarios by talking with your suitemates and figuring out what works best for all of you.
4. 8 People + No Parents = A Huge Mess. Sanitation is indeed a group responsibility.
For a lot of people, this is going to be their first time living away from Mom and Dad. What that means is that there is no mom and dad to clean up after you. Learn how to clean. If you’ve never done it before, guess what: it’s your time to start. For some people, dorms are just a place to stay and have fun. For other people, it’s their home. So do your part and respect the communal space, take the time to get down and dirty and scrub away. Pro-tip: Most dollar stores sell antibacterial bathroom sprays, Ajax bleach, toilet bowl cleaners and generic window cleaner.That, coupled with sponges and paper towels, is usually all you need to be spick-and-span. Also, a lot of housing lobbies offer mops and vacuums, so check in with your school to see if they have any to offer.
5. A Lot of People = Weird Group Dynamics. Communication is key.
The more people you live with, the more relationships and group dynamics there are to have. It’s inevitable that conflicts will break out within your suite. You and your roommate may get along swimmingly with each other but, uh-oh, everyone else in the suite hates you. Or, you’re the one person that everyone in the suite universally hates. Maybe you get along with everyone but your direct roommate. It happens. Regardless of how much dislike you harbor for someone, remember: this is a shared home. Be respectful. Be courteous. Be mature. It’s okay to be mad. But don’t create a hostile environment for one another. Nobody wants to go home after a long day of adulting to be greeted by a bunch of glares and cold-shouldering.
Living in a suite is an amazing experience if you all get along. If not, it can still be an excellent learning experience. Plus, you get certain amenities that hall-style dorms don’t. A bathroom shared by eight people versus public bathrooms shared by the whole floor? Suites offer a lot of amenities that traditional dorms don’t but they also create unique conflicts that single-rooms don’t have. Learn how to prevent these problems by communicating properly so you can take advantage of all that great space you have to create a healthy living environment.
