Living in a dorm

What is it like living in a dorm? (answers from college sophomores and up are greatly appreciated)

I personally haven't lived in a dorm (I chose to flat instead), but I've had friends who lived in Dorms and Halls of Residence at Uni. Usually they said it was fun getting to know new people, but it wasn't so great have little or none of your own space.

It depends on who else is living on your floor and in your building. I got stuck on a floor with a bunch of black girls who hated me because I was white...I honestly have no idea what the problem was...I was never loud or rude or anything, but I'd hear "I hate white b&^%$" and then they would rip stuff off my door...haha it's funny now but lame at the time. Also, there is not a lot of space, so you have to be creative about what you take with you, how you arrange things and all of that. I also had lots of good times...rolling in at 5am with no one to answer to and things of that nature. Oh freshman year...

Some people love it, some people hate it... Some of it depends on the dorm you get (my friend, who went to another school, had a dorm was about twice the size of mine) some of it is pretty universal... also depends on the roomate you get... if you have the same sort of schedule it usually works out fine (although lack of privacy is something you have to get used to), if you sleep when they're awake and vice versa it's not so much fun. We had pretty good food, but I know that's a major complaint in a lot of dorms... A lot of people find it nice to be able to get to know so many people... honestly I dont think there's a universal experience...

it can be heaps of fun. Most of my friends at uni (or indeed, in the city where im studying!) I made through my residential college. Its a nice way to ease into life away from your parents since you dont have to cook for urself (not sure if thats what its like everywhere though) and you dont have to pay individual bills for power, phone etc. We had heaps of social events and stuff which were great and we also had tutoring arranged for us. On the other hand, my room was TINY (in NZ pretty much everyone has their own room though), people could be so loud when I was trying to study or sleep, and meals were at really early times which I found annoying. Sometimes I just did not like living with so many people, it can be hard to have time by urself.

Basically, I am glad I spent a yr in a residentail college. Would I do it again? HELL NO! I love flatting.