Transitioning From Dorm To Apartment Living

By Lindsay Probasco on May 19, 2014

This article is brought to you by CORT, a subsidiary of Berkshire-Hathaway and the world’s largest furniture rental and relocation services company. To learn more about how we can help college students like you, click here.

One of the scariest transitions in college is going from dorm life to apartment living, and coming from a student who is about to embark on this very journey, I couldn’t be more nervous.

While it may not seem like that big of a deal, living completely on your own is something most of us have never experienced before. There are enough pressures as it is when being away from home for months at a time. From rigorous coursework and maintaining a social life to having steady employment and sticking to a workout regimen, being a college student can be harder than it looks. Throw in a self-sustaining lifestyle that includes cooking and cleaning, and now we might have a problem.

Weighing the options of staying in the dorms as opposed to moving into apartment style living is sometimes a challenge. There are clear distinctions between the two and depending on what you like, it might be best to seriously sit down and compare them before making a decision. To help organize the differences, here’s a summation of what I’ve learned about both.

The Dorm Advantages:

1. As new students to big campus communities, living in the dorms is the easiest way to really get started. Dorms allow you to make new friends, have some instruction and rules and assure your parents that at least you have a solid source of food.

2. Dorm life can be everything you need to create a sturdy foundation for the duration of your time on campus. The people you live with here will know all about your sleeping habits, eating habits and everything in between. Do not fear. This can be a really exciting (and sometimes hilarious) thing.

3. Living with other people in close quarters can help you develop “people skills” you may not possess before going away to college. There will be an ample amount of diversity for you to explore, and you will be able to transform yourself based on the backgrounds of others.

4. You most likely will acquire memories of fire drills in your robe and busted dorm room parties by the RA. These are the memories that will last a lifetime … without a doubt.

The Dorm Disadvantages:

1. You will definitely not have a Pottery Barn style dorm decor. It never looks as enticing as you think it will. From personal experience, I can say that splitting an 8×8 foot closet with another human does not allow for much personalization.

2. Speaking of living with another human, sharing a small space with a stranger can be a horror story. That’s not to say that it can’t ever work out, but often you’ll hear tales of horrible roommates. I can’t imagine anything worse than having to live in such a tiny space with someone you just can’t stand.

3. Dorm food is usually not the best. The showers aren’t all that clean. The amount of people living in a single building just doesn’t seem right.

4. Having an RA, rules to follow and required events to attend can make you feel like you’re still living under someone else’s roof (like your parents, eh hmm). It can certainly be a good reinforcement for those who need it, but a pointless type of parenting for others.

Dorm Expectation:

image source: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/51/ac/c7/51acc7caee01768cca32d9cee3d14da4.jpg

Dorm Reality:

image source: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/09/00/ab/0900ab92023c3dfcfef2e8d33a7804ee.jpg

The Apartment Advantages:

1. You can finally feel like an adult! No longer is anyone telling you what to do or how to do it. You can have parties if you’re in the mood. You can be loud, blast music and really be in control of a lifestyle of your choosing.

2. You have your OWN space. Yes, you will probably still have roommates, but you can have your own room within the apartment. You can take a shower all by yourself. You can decorate your room for just you alone. Living in the dorms really teaches you the value of being in your own bubble.

3. This is a time for you to experiment with food, responsibility and cleanliness. You can try out those fancy Pinterest recipes. You’ll hopefully gain cleaning skills that will impress you and your parents when they come to visit. Chances are acting like an adult might actually start making you feel like one.

4. You get to choose who you share this space with. You can live in an apartment alone, or with your high school friends or the best pals you meet away at school. Living with a small amount of people in a reasonable space makes for a great year.

The Apartment Disadvantages:

1. Living in an apartment means that no one is going to clean up after you or serve you five course meals. Committing to living on your own comes with the territory … you  are 100 percent ON YOUR OWN. If something needs to get done, you have to do it. There isn’t anyone telling you to pick up after yourself or to empty the dishwasher, so initiative must be taken.

2. There are a lot of extra purchases that come with living in an apartment. Rent, water bills, dishware and extra furniture all need to be accounted for. This can be too much for some college students to handle alone.

3. With a lot less people around to hang out with, living in an apartment might get a little lonely. Compared to living on a floor with fifty doors to walk into, if you don’t have similar schedules to your roommates, you might spend a lot of time by yourself.

4. Being in a dorm usually means a locked, guarded area where you have to swipe to get in. Safety is a big factor for some people when deciding whether or not living in an apartment is a good idea. No one is watching your apartment at all times.

Apartment Living: Chore Charts become your life.

image source: http://www.tumblr.com/search/college+apartment

While both options have both positive and negative aspects, it really depends on what you are looking for in a home away from home. Living in the dorms is a great experience for meeting new people and being really busy. If you’re more of a home body who likes to cook and lay on the couch, an apartment might be a better fit for you.

Personally, I have been in the dorm and am ready to expose myself to a more demanding living style. I think becoming an upperclassman (boy is that scary!) has helped me realize that being an adult is not too far off. I am excited for this new experience when I live with my three sorority sisters in the fall.

First stop: cooking class.

Looking for a more convenient way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Rent stylish furniture from CORT and save time and money. For more information on furniture rental packages, click here.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format