What they might not tell you when you're preparing for your freshman year of college, more specifically preparing for life in a dorm, is how important dorm etiquette is. Sure, we've all heard to be nice to our roommate and not to touch other peoples' stuff, but we don't really hear about anything else — however, we should. Living in a dorm is obviously much different than living at home, but I don't think any of us could have prepared for how awkward and uncomfortable it can be at times.
Dorm etiquette is so important because you aren't living by yourself. You aren't staying in a hotel for one night, where you can be as loud as you want and you'll never see any of the annoyed guests again. No, you're living with the same people for an entire year. You'll walk by each other each and every day, and it's important to care about the well-being and comfortable living space of those around you. You aren't the only one who has to live on your floor or in your hall, so we should all act like it.
Here are my top five tips for creating a happier dorm setting for all of those involved.
1. Clean up after yourself.
2. All hours are technically quiet hours.
I'm sure the joke your friend told is hilarious, and I know that you're full of energy from your power-nap, but please, keep your voices down. Maybe I'm the only one, but I have such a hard time concentrating when there are people yelling up and down the halls. Our rooms are supposed to be a calm place we can go to relax or a good place to work on a paper. The worst is when you have a headache or aren't feeling well and the screaming just won't stop. Unfortunately, if you're living in a dorm, you and your friends aren't the only ones living there. No matter the time of day, try to keep it down.
3. Respect people's comments.
There's going to come a time during your dorm life when someone marches down to your room and complains about whatever you're doing —loud music, yelling, stomping, television, laughing, etc. The worst thing you can do with something like this is to brush it off and continue doing it. Not only does this show you have no consideration for the people around you, it also shows that you don't really have manners. It doesn't matter if you think you were being loud or not, if it's bothering someone, just quiet down. You don't know if they're working on a paper, studying for a mid-term, or maybe they're just tired and want to go to sleep.4. Respect privacy (especially bathroom time).
Since dorms are so crowded and there isn't really much available alone time as it is, remember to respect people's time in the bathroom. Nobody wants to be in the middle of a shower or brushing their teeth and get interrupted. What could you possibly need that's so urgent? Unless it's a fire, leave them alone. In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bathroom emergency either, because you can just run to the community bathrooms instead of bargeing in on whoever is in your bathroom! See, everyone wins.
5. Be aware of those around you.
This point might sound similar to a mix of those above, but what dorm life really comes down to is being aware. Be aware if your roommate doesn't seem to be feeling well. Be aware if people are studying for a big test. Be aware of your personal belongings and your personal messes.
If you follow these tips, dorm life will be much better for everyone. Nobody wants to have to live in a small, uncomfortable room for months on end, and neither do you. It's easy to get caught up in your routine and what you're used to, but if everyone did that, there would be a lot of conflict.
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