For all those who dormed at college

[BadGuyDavey]

I am going to college in August, not to far from me, about a 30 minute drive, but i decided to dorm at the school... I had it all planned that I was going to room with some friends, but it turned out that there was a problem, so the first 3 kids i couldnt room with, then i tried to get in with a couple extra kids, that didnt work either, so now im rooming with 3 complete strangers


my question to all of you who dormed at college and had to live with strangers is... how was it?

because i am pretty nervous about who I am going to meet, like so much so that I am not taking anything but my clothes and a few notebooks with me

i dont want to get a laptop anymore, and even though i bought a new pc like 2 weeks ago, im not going to bring it with me.

[lleeder]

Don't be so uptight about it. Meeting new people is all part of the college experience. Bring all your stuff and have fun. Sure there will be assholes there but there will also be lots of new interesting people. Don't be so guarded and miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime.

[Bossanova]

They are prolly going to be just as nervous so relax and say fuck it. Take all your shit and be personable

[BadGuyDavey]

i told my mother i want to get a bat or something like that... nothing that can be considered a weapon, but something that if the people i roomed with fucked with me can turn into a weapon... i dont trust many people, dorming with strangers is the worst thing ive ever had to experiance when it comes to meeting new people.. i hate the feeling of being forced to meet people, but even though i know there names i dont know what they look like, or how they are, even what there likes or dislikes are... that is what drives me nuts

[higgies]

Yes, that is the whole idea of college IMHO. Yes, you learn stuff from books, but you also learn to expand your social circle, network, and grow as an individual. How fun would college be really if it was an extended version of high school and you only stayed with the same group of people you already knew?!

Now, I'm not saying it's going to be all sunshine and roses, but it will be interesting. I couldn't get a room with my buddies from the football team, so I ended up with a Vietnamese transfer student my frosh year. He was scared to be there, when he was there he cooked stinky fish and noodle meals, and I got scabies from him. All in all, I wasn't terribly happy. I got kicked out of that dorm and ended up across campus with a really cool guy. We sat around and watched talk shows in the morning and Reservoir Dogs, Animal House, or Blues Brothers every night while stoned.

My sophomore year I transferred schools and ended up with a freshmen. He and his friends were total stoners. So I ended up fucked up almost every night. I moved out after that... :wink:

So don't be nervous...or at least don't be afraid...it will be the greatest learning experience of your life. Learning to deal with new and different people.

[prothunderball]

My freshman year I had roommates that I couldn't fucking stand. One was a complete asshole and the other was just really uptight.

That being said, it's not as bad as you think it might be. Even if you hate your roommates, there will be so many other kids your age around that it's always easy to find somewhere besides your room to hang out, and there is always something to do, even if it's a lame school sponsored activity at least there will be free food.

As far as your stuff is concerned, I gotta say too, don't worry so much about it. As long as your careful with you belongings and don't do stupid shit like leaving your door unlocked or leaving cash sitting around you'll be fine.

[lleeder]

You sound like the worst type of person to go away to college. You have to change for this to be a good experience for you. If you can't try goin somewhere local where you can stay home and commute.

[MadMatt]

I mostly agree with lleeder [EDIT - this is based on his first post], but have also had a bad roomate experience.

I agree that you shouldn't limit yourself and go in with the best attitude possible. Everybody is there to meet new people and have new experiences, so it is a great time to make friends and spread your wings. Make the most of it! Meet as many people as you can and be open to meeting people outside of your "comfort zone" or normal high school clique.

However, if you are SUPER concerned about your stuff it may be a good idea to test the waters first - and I only say this because your home is only 30 minutes away and you obviously have concerns. If you are really concerned about big ticket items, meet with your new roomates first and feel out the situation. It's likely you won't have anything to worry about and will zip home ASAP to grab your stuff. You will also have a limited amount of space, so your roomates may have enough gear that you won't need to bring yours.

It also depends on what kind of lab facilities you have in the dorm/union/library/etc. If public computers are easy to access, you may not need your gear. I would bring my own stuff, but that is just me.

[prothunderball]

You sound like the worst type of person to go away to college. You have to change for this to be a good experience for you. If you can't try goin somewhere local where you can stay home and commute.

yeah lleeder is totally right, you have to chill out. I'd be real careful with even pretending that a bat or anything else is a weapon. I know a kid that shit from the cops at my college just for waving a hammer out the window of a car.

you also have to remember that everyone else there, is going to be in the same exact position that you are. They're all going to nervous, and not sure what to expect as well, so that makes it easier for everyone to get along.

It may truly suck, if that's the case most places will let you switch dorm rooms if you have a problem. But you also have to consider that you may end up living with some really cool kids. If you're gonna live in a dorm it's a chance you have take, but if you're not willing to relax and roll with the punches, maybe you should just commute.

[BadGuyDavey]

im saying im nervous now because once im away at college im going to have to adapt again

i came down here to florida in my junior year of high school... and now im down with high school


so its not like i didnt have to meet new people then... i did have my one friend that moved from the same place in new york a year before,


my concern isnt meeting new people... im fine with that... my concern is am i going to like the people im rooming with...


but yeah like i said... im saying im nervous now so that i can get some advice, because once school starts im pretty much just going to have to take it

i have no other choice but to room now, because my father is paying for my college (got to love child support money)

and if i dont he most likely will come down to florida and kill me

[MadMatt]

You sound like the worst type of person to go away to college. You have to change for this to be a good experience for you. If you can't try goin somewhere local where you can stay home and commute.

yeah lleeder is totally right, you have to chill out. I'd be real careful with even pretending that a bat or anything else is a weapon. I know a kid that shit from the cops at my college just for waving a hammer out the window of a car.

you also have to remember that everyone else there, is going to be in the same exact position that you are. They're all going to nervous, and not sure what to expect as well, so that makes it easier for everyone to get along.

It may truly suck, if that's the case most places will let you switch dorm rooms if you have a problem. But you also have to consider that you may end up living with some really cool kids. If you're gonna live in a dorm it's a chance you have take, but if you're not willing to relax and roll with the punches, maybe you should just commute.

Both quoted for truth.

If you are going into this a paranoid psycho, do yourself a favor and live at home.

[furie]

my question to all of you who dormed at college and had to live with strangers is... how was it?


it was great and sucked at the same time. while it's great to meat new people and learn to deal with people on a new level that you haven't had to before, roommates tend to suck. Mind did anyways and almost everyone i've spoken to hated their roommates too.

but go for it. it's still fun.

are you headed to USF?

[prothunderball]

my concern isnt meeting new people... im fine with that... my concern is am i going to like the people im rooming with...



You might, you might not. If you just don't like em, you don't spend a lot of time in your room, but there's plenty of other places to hang out.

If you really can't stand them, you change rooms, you might even be able set something up with someone else you've met and like.

But, you may also really like them and end up meeting some people that you'll be friends with the rest of you life.

[Chigworthy]

My friend's roomate at UC Berkeley saved all of his Marlboro ashes in ziploc bags, and glued the empty boxes together until he had a block of them covering the window. He was a douche and, I suspect, a filthy kid-toucher.

[MadMatt]

im saying im nervous now because once im away at college im going to have to adapt again

i came down here to florida in my junior year of high school... and now im down with high school


so its not like i didnt have to meet new people then... i did have my one friend that moved from the same place in new york a year before,


my concern isnt meeting new people... im fine with that... my concern is am i going to like the people im rooming with...


but yeah like i said... im saying im nervous now so that i can get some advice, because once school starts im pretty much just going to have to take it

i have no other choice but to room now, because my father is paying for my college (got to love child support money)

and if i dont he most likely will come down to florida and kill me

Then go with the flow. My brother went 700 miles away for college and didn't know ANYBODY. He met the coolest group of guys on the planet and he is still friends with all of them. Hell, I became friends with some of them too.

However, my Freshman roomate was a tool. We started out OK, but ended up hating each other. What did I do? I made other friends and hung out with them. I got to be great pals with the guys down the hall, found a girlfriend, visited other friends in other dorms, etc. My roomate and I came to a detante and I basically just crashed and occasionally studied in my room. I switched roomates the next semester and all was OK.

Even if things aren't ideal, you can find ways to work around it. It's not like you are marrying these guys - they are temporary roomates. But give them the benefit of the doubt; they are likely feeling just as nervous as you are.

[lleeder]

One of my roommates was kind of a problem. He was ambiguously gay and I'd wake up to him staring at me while I slept. I think he was jacking it while he watched me sleep. Now that I think about it. He was an ok guy.

[prothunderball]

My friend's roomate at UC Berkeley saved all of his Marlboro ashes in ziploc bags, and glued the empty boxes together until he had a block of them covering the window. He was a douche and, I suspect, a filthy kid-toucher.

But what did he do with the ashes??? That is so fucked up.

[higgies]

Yeah, you'll meet other people besides your roommate. You'll end up hanging in their rooms or in your room and boot your roomie. On the other hand...you might have a cool roommate that becomes a good bud you can puke up frat beer with.

[BadGuyDavey]

it was great and sucked at the same time. while it's great to meat new people and learn to deal with people on a new level that you haven't had to before, roommates tend to suck. Mind did anyways and almost everyone i've spoken to hated their roommates too.

but go for it. it's still fun.

are you headed to USF?

If you dont know FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University) its in the Fort Myers area


they are going to be a division 1 school in baseball, im not a baseball player but i figured that once they announced that this year, it would be good to go there... because they are a fairly new school, and with this kind of step forward, the school is going to turn into a high demand, i wanted to get in first so that i have braggin rights later... (the point is, im stupid, couldnt get into usf or ucf, so i had to choose another school, its like what if you went to fordam prep in the bronx, before it became a big school, your still credited as going to that school, only you didnt have to meet the demand that they have to meet now)

[furie]

If you dont know FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University) its in the Fort Myers area


they are going to be a division 1 school in baseball, im not a baseball player but i figured that once they announced that this year, it would be good to go there... because they are a fairly new school, and with this kind of step forward, the school is going to turn into a high demand, i wanted to get in first so that i have braggin rights later... (the point is, im stupid, couldnt get into usf or ucf, so i had to choose another school, its like what if you went to fordam prep in the bronx, before it became a big school, your still credited as going to that school, only you didnt have to meet the demand that they have to meet now)

yes i know of FGCU. They founded it and started construction when I was at USF. I don't know too much about it because it started classes after i left florida. it's supposed to be a huge campus

[Lillibaby]

I just came back from my first year of living with roommates in a college dorm...I was in a triple the first semester so that was awful (3 girls in 1 room = major jealousy issues) and I had a single roomie 2nd semester. The most important thing is to communicate. Let your roommate know if something, even if it seems really minor at the moment, is bothering you. Because the WORST thing is for you to let the tension escalate into something bigger, and you guys can't even talk about it cuz of some idiotic pride thing or what have you.

[BadGuyDavey]

Yeah, you'll meet other people besides your roommate. You'll end up hanging in their rooms or in your room and boot your roomie. On the other hand...you might have a cool roommate that becomes a good bud you can puke up frat beer with.

funny thing is i dont drink or smoke so yeah...


not trying to be religious or anything, i just dont like drinking and i dont feel like smoking.. plus its easier to hustle a guy when hes high then hustling him when your both high


but yeah im like the wierdest kid i know that actually has friends, i dont drink, i dont smoke, and i hate coffee.... also starbucks confuses me..

[BadGuyDavey]

I just came back from my first year of living with roommates in a college dorm...I was in a triple the first semester so that was awful (3 girls in 1 room = major jealousy issues) and I had a single roomie 2nd semester. The most important thing is to communicate. Let your roommate know if something, even if it seems really minor at the moment, is bothering you. Because the WORST thing is for you to let the tension escalate into something bigger, and you guys can't even talk about it cuz of some idiotic pride thing or what have you.



first off, hot?, but joking aside, i thank god i have a bedroom to myself




and to the guy who knows fgcu... the campus is decent sized... i didnt get a chance to go to usf or ucf to compare sizes... but i heard ucf makes fgcu look like a speck of dust

[furie]

I just came back from my first year of living with roommates in a college dorm...I was in a triple the first semester so that was awful (3 girls in 1 room = major jealousy issues) and I had a single roomie 2nd semester. The most important thing is to communicate. Let your roommate know if something, even if it seems really minor at the moment, is bothering you. Because the WORST thing is for you to let the tension escalate into something bigger, and you guys can't even talk about it cuz of some idiotic pride thing or what have you.

no, this is a guy. do NOT express your feelings to your roommates. if you connect; cool. if not, then ignore them and deal. don't be the bitchy/whiney roommate.

[BadGuyDavey]

hahaha... i was going to say, i would kind of hate for someone to tell me they had a minor problem with something i did, so idk if i would do it

[furie]

first off, hot?, but joking aside, i thank god i have a bedroom to myself

and to the guy who knows fgcu... the campus is decent sized... i didnt get a chance to go to usf or ucf to compare sizes... but i heard ucf makes fgcu look like a speck of dust

nah, ucf sucks. good campus life and all, but smaller than usf and it's not known for it's academics or sports.

if you get bored at FGCU, go to either USF or Florida U in gainsville.

[Lillibaby]

no, this is a guy. do NOT express your feelings to your roommates. if you connect; cool. if not, then ignore them and deal. don't be the bitchy/whiney roommate.

Men or women, it's not being "whiney" to tell your roommate to stop leaving his old socks all over your clothes. That's all I'm saying. It's just human decency.

[furie]

Men or women, it's not being "whiney" to tell your roommate to stop leaving his old socks all over your clothes. That's all I'm saying. It's just human decency.

No, you said that he should communicate, even really minor issues to his roommates.
I'm telling him not to do this. guys don't let really minor issues get expressed, because with a group of guys, it's this that'll cause things to fester. it works in reverse for guys than girls.

[prothunderball]

funny thing is i dont drink or smoke so yeah...


not trying to be religious or anything, i just dont like drinking and i dont feel like smoking.. plus its easier to hustle a guy when hes high then hustling him when your both high


but yeah im like the wierdest kid i know that actually has friends, i dont drink, i dont smoke, and i hate coffee.... also starbucks confuses me..

I didn't drink or smoke when I first when to college, hell I didn't start drinking til I was 24, yeah that might make it a little harder to find people that you can hang with. But unless this college is really really small, you will be surprised how many other people like you there are.

I have to really recommend joining an activity of some sort. It may sound lame, but it's the easiest way to make friends and if it's doing something you like then you know it's people you already have something in common with.

[Judge Smails]

If you have one of these, make sure you leave it at home. Banana Men are like gold among the college crowd.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/shellebink/bigbanana.jpg

[midwestjeff]

At first, i was gonna say "worst experience ever". However, it really wasn't that bad when i think about it now. I only lived in a dorm for one semester because i couldn't afford it but that semester was pretty fucking cool. I'm an anti-social prick but i met some really cool people and had a really good time. Just stand your ground and drink as much as possible. If you're lucky there will be dopeheads right up the stairs from you and then you can smoke as much as possible too. Holy shit, I just did an F_S impersonation. Being all positive and shit! Anyway, be like mighty horse and rock the dorm ass!

[spoon]

Don't be so uptight about it. Meeting new people is all part of the college experience. Bring all your stuff and have fun. Sure there will be assholes there but there will also be lots of new interesting people. Don't be so guarded and miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime.

Lleed's is right on about this one. I'm sure you'll meet your share of douches at college, but like myself you'll also meet new friends for life. I have a great group of close friends from college and I met most of them in the dorm my first year. You're setting yourself up for trouble with that attitude and perhaps controlling the failure of your college experience. I went to school to get away from the same old crew as they'd always be there, and looked to make new friends. I advise you to roll with it and do the same. If you don't click with some roomies this year, you'll meet plenty you will in the building and end up rooming with them soon enough. I hope you got the co-ed dorms too. Man I miss college!

[spoon]

If you dont know FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University) its in the Fort Myers area


they are going to be a division 1 school in baseball, im not a baseball player but i figured that once they announced that this year, it would be good to go there... because they are a fairly new school, and with this kind of step forward, the school is going to turn into a high demand, i wanted to get in first so that i have braggin rights later... (the point is, im stupid, couldnt get into usf or ucf, so i had to choose another school, its like what if you went to fordam prep in the bronx, before it became a big school, your still credited as going to that school, only you didnt have to meet the demand that they have to meet now)

School is what you make of it no matter where you go.

[Bulldogcakes]

i told my mother i want to get a bat or something like that... nothing that can be considered a weapon, but something that if the people i roomed with fucked with me can turn into a weapon... i dont trust many people, dorming with strangers is the worst thing ive ever had to experiance when it comes to meeting new people.. i hate the feeling of being forced to meet people, but even though i know there names i dont know what they look like, or how they are, even what there likes or dislikes are... that is what drives me nuts

Have you considered going to Virginia Tech? :blink:


My advice would be to lighten up. Being suspicious make others suspicious of you. Its really true what people say, the rest of your life will be work work work, paying bills, paying taxes, dealing with inane bullshit of one form or another, and an occasional night out or vacation to blow off some steam. You're in college. You can hit a party and try to get laid almost every night. You won't be able to do that again for the rest of your life. Take advantage of it. If you don't, you will regret it.

[Ritalin]

One of my roommates was kind of a problem. He was ambiguously gay and I'd wake up to him staring at me while I slept. I think he was jacking it while he watched me sleep. Now that I think about it. He was an ok guy.

Hey give the guy a break. I've heard from more than one person that you're totally hot when you're asleep.

[spoon]

Hey give the guy a break. I've heard from more than one person that you're totally hot when you're asleep.

His mom talks too much.

[Marist Mike]

Just go into college with an open mind. You'll meet so many new people it will make your head spin. College is one of the most fun times of your life, I'm finally realizing that, and I still have a year left. As for rooming with other people, have you ever shared a room with someone at home? Maybe that's part of the reason why you're nervous. I don't know anything about you as a person, just putting in my two cents.

But yeah, go into college with an open mind. My roomate was a good guy freshman year, but it was one of those situations where we liked each other, but we couldn't live together. If you get to the point that you don't like your roomates, there will be plenty of people around for you to make friends with. I had plenty of people from other dorms and stuff that I hung out with. My roomate my sophomore year was awesome. He was in his girlfriend's room across campus all the time and never in ours. So I hung out with the kids downstairs and made friends that I still have. I moved out of there my second semester when I became an RA, but I am still friends with many of them. So just go into it with an open mind and know that there are plenty of people you can find to hang out with if your roomates turn out to be tools, but if they turn out to be cool, you can hang with your roomates and a ton of other people too. Keep us posted, man.

[cupcakelove]

Whoa man, take it easy. If you're that worried about your stuff, don't bring it. Like others have said, you only live 30 min away, its not that big of a deal to make a trip home. Having said that, you, and your stuff, should be fine. Your biggest problem will be if you leave the door unlocked and someone else besides your roommates gets in your room. Just relax and enjoy yourself, you're going to have the time of your life.

[EliSnow]

I went to college 1200 miles from where I grew up. Everyone there was a stranger. As others have said, college is about learning not just from the classes but learning how to meet and deal with other people who may be nothing like you. Some of it is going to suck, and may be the worst experiences of your life, but on the flip side, some of it is going to be the greatest experience of your life.

My freshman year, I roomed with 3 other guys, none of whom I liked. But I learned how to live with others, and try to be social with them. After that, I roomed with guys I was friends with.

In the end, would you rather take the safe route and live at home, but miss the chance to really experience life, or do you want to jump in the deep end of the pool, and take the gamble that you may live with assholes, but still have a great time? As Ronnie B would say, life is about doing the second option, and not just about being comfortable.

So take the chance. Even if it turns out poor, you've had that learning experience, and you can look back at it knowing you took the chance.