The decision to live in a dorm during your freshman year at FSU can be a challenging one. Having experienced living in a dorm throughout my first year as a student here, I’ve picked up on some of the advantages and disadvantages of dorm life.
PROS
There are some great things about living in a dorm that can make your freshman year experience better than living off-campus.
1. great location
The freshman dorms being located on campus are super helpful for students new to the school and even to the city of Tallahassee. You can wake up and already be on campus with just a short walk to your classes without worrying about parking. Living on campus forced me to get to know the campus pretty well. Being in a dorm, you’re already close to the dining halls and other places to eat, libraries, gym, health and wellness center, and all the other great facilities that FSU provides.
2. Kitchens, Study Rooms, and Lounges
Each floor of each dorm at FSU is equipped with a fully functional kitchen, including a stove, oven, microwave, counter space, and even a table and chairs to eat at. This is great if you like to cook, even if it’s as simple as boiling pasta or heating up leftovers. Additionally, it gives you a space to have meals with friends.
There are also study rooms on each floor with tables, chairs, and whiteboards as an extra place to study or catch up on homework if you need a quiet place or just a change of scenery. I personally found this helpful for when I didn’t feel like walking to the library at night — I could just walk down the hall instead.
The dorms also have lounges where some people choose to spend time. They have chairs and couches in big open spaces, and they even have ping-pong tables and a pool table. This is a fun (and free) way to hang out with friends and even meet your neighbors!
3. resident and desk assistants
Having a resident assistant (RA) and a desk assistant (DA) can comfort students who are living without their parents for the first time. They are there for anything you may need, whether that be giving you a spare key if you get locked out of your room, submitting a maintenance request, or sharing general advice since they are also students, just with more experience. RAs also host events every once in a while that help their residents get to know each other and have a fun time, usually including some sort of free snacks (which I would take advantage of if I were you).
Pro tip: The DAs are equipped with vacuums, brooms, and even toilet paper, so you don’t have to buy your own!
4. Friendly and Safe Atmosphere
A dorm here at FSU is like a little community. You share a room with a person and a bathroom with three people, forcing you to interact with others. I know it can be scary to meet new people in a new place, but living with other people in the same boat as you can be a pretty cool opportunity. Who knows, your random roommate might become your best friend!
There are also people you will constantly run into, whether it’s in the elevators, laundry rooms, lounges, or even just in your hallway. This is potentially a great way to socialize with people your age who are experiencing the same thing that you are, and you may not have the same opportunity living off-campus, at home, or alone.
Also, if your parents are concerned, you can tell them you have to swipe your FSU ID card to get into the building, where there is always someone sitting at the front desk in the lobby to make sure that only the people who are supposed to be there are. Each individual room also has a key, so only you and your roommate can decide who can enter. Along with that, there is always an RA on call if you need something in the middle of the night, and the FSU Police Department is close by, just in case.
cons
Unfortunately, dorm life does have some downsides to it.
1. Sharing Space
While sharing a bedroom and bathroom with people can be a good way to meet new friends, it’s not for everyone. There’s always a chance that you get a roommate who plays loud music and leaves dirty clothes everywhere or a suitemate who takes way too long in the shower and leaves the floor sopping wet. There are also people walking the hallways at night, so there’s no guarantee that the supposed quiet hours will be enforced, especially on weekends with freshmen living in a college town.
2. Increased Sickness
I’m sure after attending FSU for a little bit, you will hear about and possibly experience what we call the “Tally Plague” (which is just a dramatic phrase for a bad cough/cold). When living with multiple people in such close quarters, it’s just a fact that more germs are circulating, leaving you with a higher chance of getting sick. It’s similar to being in preschool again in that sense, where everyone pretty much brings some sort of illness home.
As you can see, living in a dorm during your first year at FSU has its ups and downs. You’ve got convenience and community but also some challenges to navigate. However, I recommend just weighing all your options and deciding what works best for you.
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