Rough Draft #2

Gina Clementi
Dorm Life
Rough Draft


Dorming is a major topic that comes up when you are thinking about college. Many students either chose to live at school or not to. Sometimes it is a personal decision whether or not they live at school, or their parents make them. The students that live on campus, all had the majority of the same answers about their experiences living on campus. The experience of being independent and living on your own was a major reason why they chose to live in the dorms. The students that live on campus are the ones who live at least an hour away, and of course that are from out of state. The students that mainly live at home are the ones that live in the area.
Dorm life is not perfect, and don’t expect to live in the Ritz Carlton. It is what you make of it. If you have a negative attitude towards the experience, than it will be nothing but what you act towards it. This is not the fact in most cases; students tend to take advantage of the situation of living in the dorms, and try to make the best out of it. Dorm life is not for everyone. Some people need their own personal space, and are not ready for the responsibilities of living on their own.
A survey was conducted to 6 anonymous students, 3 that lived in the dorms and 3 that live at home. The 3 that live at school, all had the same reasons for what they liked and disliked about living on campus. They liked the experience of living on their own and having their own independence. The fact that it was easy for them to get up in the morning and just go to class was an advantage to them. Many students responded that they did not like the fact that the rules were so strict. They all responded that they would live on campus for at least another year. The students that live at home, all liked living at home, and they said that they would not live at school next semester.
The transition into college is not easy for first time freshman. It is an experience that everyone deals with differently. Coping with new roommates, maybe people that you don’t get along with, or even the fact that you have to share a room with someone are all things that you must deal with. Students staying up late, making loud noises in the hall, and even living in a co-ed environment are situations that are encountered.
Learning to live on your own, and take care of yourself, for many students this may be the first time in 18 years. The advantage of living on your own and gaining your independence, it what we were brought up to do, and slowly taught through the years. For some, living on your own, might be easier than others.
Adapting to the new surroundings is easier said then done. When you have been on a routinely schedule for the most part of your life, and it finally stops, you might become frustrated. When you are used to home cooked meals every day, and then are eating canned food, and not so good cafeteria food, it is not easy to adapt at first.
You will encounter many obstacles your first year away, but in the end you will only grow from it, and help you when you eventually live on your own 100%. An easy way to adapt is to have good communication skills with your roommates. If you try to resolve problems early, it will help in the long run. Residence Assistance’s (RA’s) are there to help you get together and talk about any problems you might have. The RA is also there if you have any questions about anything. In some way they are there to give you advice and help make your transition a little easier. It may be hard to approach people and say how you feel about a situation, so in many cases people just let the “problem” fly by. They would rather avoid the situation than fix it. You must learn how to communicate, instead of blowing it off.
In most cases they try to match people who may have things in common. Everyone fills out a housing form, which involves things such as interests, where you’re from and even majors. Just because two people have basically the same things, does not guarantee that you will get along.
Transitioning into living in the dorms is definitely a life changing experience. You will encounter many obstacles but in the end you will have learned a lot. Dorm life is what you make of it, no one can do it for you. There is someone always there to turn to for help, so you are never left with unanswered questions.
The students that were surveyed all agreed that the judicial aspect of living on campus was a main reason why they would not live at St. Johns. The visitation policy’s here are very strict and leave no room for negotiation. St. John student commuters must leave the dorms by 12 and do not have the same privileges as a St. Johns resident.
This is a catholic university, which does mean that there are certain rules and regulations we must follow, and we do sign a paper agreeing to them.