Living on campus can be one of the best decisions students make during their time at college.
A student’s dorm room can turn into his or her best friend during college as it offers the student a place to sleep, do homework, socialize and call home. Some decide to go with a roommate while others don’t. Whichever one decides, the college dorms at Dixie State University put students in the most ideal situation for them to succeed.
Of all the pros that come from living on campus, the one that tops the list is the proximity to all the valuable resources the campus provides. The library, student center, cafeteria and gym are all within a few minutes walk from any of the student dorms located on campus.
Living in the dorms also places students in environments that help meet a college student’s social needs. The majority of a student’s time spent at school involves social interaction with one’s peers. Students gain a sense of family while being here at DSU by meeting other classmates with similar interests.
Dean of Students Del Beatty said he is a big advocate for students living on campus. One benefit is the luxury of never missing out on what is going on at the school, he said. If students like what is happening, they stay. If they don’t, there is no harm done by leaving and returning to their dorms.
“When parents ask me my advice, I encourage [the students] to live on campus or as close to campus as possible,” Beatty said. “Research says it helps the students to be more successful.”
Even in her first week as a student at DSU, Katelyn Jeffery, a freshman dental hygiene major from Delta, said she can see the importance of living on campus and the effects it can have on a student’s social life.
“There’s always someone to hang out with,” she said. “You’re surrounded by people your [own] age.”
As much as college is about earning a degree and receiving good grades, a huge part of school is about the relationships we make with those around us. The dorms place students in close proximity of potential friends. These people are going through the same exact thing as everyone else, so they understand each other. Why would one not want to be a part of such a strong support system?
What about the cons? Sometimes students feel peer pressure to conform to standards that aren’t their own. They might miss the comfort they had while they lived at home with family. There can be many reasons why someone would not like to live on campus and those reasons are different for each individual.
Shi-Quan Nettingham, a senior communications major from Las Vegas, is proof that not everyone’s experience living on campus is a good one. He said his first year was not a pleasant one due to having a bad roommate.
He had too many late nights and received no respect from his roommate.
Yet, just like every superhero movie, good always wins. If you don’t have similar standards to those whom you are spending time with, find new friends. There are potential friends behind every dorm room door. If you miss the comforts of your parents home, make your living space how you want it and like it. There really should be no reason why one doesn’t like the dorms when there are so many ways to make it feel like home.
As the new semester begins, students will make themselves comfortable in their new accommodations. They will be spending just as much time making friends as they will on their homework. To help them cope with these immediate demands of being a college student, DSU is putting on a Week of Welcome: the first week of the semester full of food and fun. The perfect way to start students off on the right foot toward finding success in their schoolwork and social lives.
Living in the dorms could make all the difference in the world for someone looking to have the ideal college experience.
