PROS AND CONS OF RESIDENCE HALLS:

     There are many choices and decisions that a student has to consider when going to college. One very important decision is where to live.  One good way to consider this decision is to think about yourself and your needs.  Talking to college students who have lived in residence halls or apartments.

     Most colleges require Freshmen to live in the residence halls, but what about after Freshmen year? Let us consider some Pros and Cons as we begin to envision the next chapter of our lives.

PROS

Interviews: 

          Mrs. Teresa Knirck (graduate of Washington State University & Hanford High school counselor) felt that residence halls meet most of a person's daily needs. For example, they provide residents with a furnished room (in most schools), a bathroom facility, and a common room. Also, when a student lives in a residence hall, there are oppourtunities to interact with other students you might not otherwise encounter. Not to mention your awesome roommate. Neighboring residents are also great for study groups or going out for a night on the town!

          Mr. Tory Christensen (Hanford High school counselor) also felt that residence halls are positive places to be. He commented that it puts a student closer to many people who are in the same situation. Most residence halls have a designated "quiet time" so students can get there studying on and get help from other students.

          Miss Kara McMurray (current student at Washington State University) thinks that residence halls are one of the best assets of a college. "Living on campus has benefited me greatly. I am close to all of my classes, I never have to worry about cooking, there are always other people around, and I can be involved in campus activities easily. I am never bored living on campus."

Research:

          According to The Wall Street Journal, living in a residence hall can keep students close to their friends and fill up their planners with enjoyable social functions on campus.  It is also stated that those who live in residence halls conveniently live right on campus and close to their classes.  This advantage guarantees that students can arrive to class on time, ensuring that they will not miss one bit of important information.

          Collegeuniversity.com states that living in a residence hall will give numerous opportunities to meet new people and make new friends, which will make college less intimidating especially during that akward first week.  There are conveniently located food services that reduce the hassle of finding food when one is first learning how to get by on one's own. 

CONS

Interviews:

          Mrs. Knirck gave the other side of that story as well. She said, "there's not much privacy in a residence hall. You are in close quarters with people you don't know, or people who you don't like, and it's hard to get away from that."

          Mr. Christensen also gave a negative side. He felt that the people around could negatively influence a student. For example, if a student ends up in a hall with people who don't study and like to party too much, he or she may shift their own views in order to belong. They might neglect their prior study habits and family values.

Research:

          According to collegeuniversity.com, having a roommate may be too large of an adjustment for some students, especially the first time meeting, making living on one’s own off campus appealing.   It is also unsettling to some students; they have to share a public bathroom with others and shower in public showers. In coed residence halls sexual harassment can become a problem, even if there is no harassment, there may be an uncomfortable feeling with living around the opposite sex.

          One of the biggest and possibly most annoying problems faced in a residential hall is the noise level.  Some students find that it is impossible for them to study or sleep when their roommate or neighbor is making too much noise.  This can have detrimental consequences if one is attempting to study or sleep for a test the next day.

          Dailyuw.com stated that, compared to apartments, living in a residence hall may bring along more rules by which to abide. Also, one will have much less privacy when living with many students in contrast to one living on one's own.  It may also be irritating to have students constantly competing for study spaces and working spaces.  Living off campus can ensure a student's space and privacy, but can get pretty pricey.

Dealing With the Cons

          One of the best things a student can do is to get to know his or her roommate, and make sure that he or she has a compatible lifestyle with the roommate before living together.  A lot of colleges attempt to make this transition easier by having students matched to their rommate through a compatibility test. Having similar sleeping schedules and similar sanitary expectation also helps.  Most residential buildings organize their halls so people who can't concentrate with noise the the background could live in a "quiet" hall, and if a person is embarressed by living in close quarters with the opposite sex, they could live in a single sex hall. To a certain extent, colleges try their best to cater to your individual needs. They acknowledge that dorms are a new experience for most of their students and want to make it esay and simple for all parties involved.

For more information, try these websites:

Dorm Tours

What to Bring to College 

College Coed Dorms 

Also checkout general residence hall life HERE (scroll down to Residence Halls)

Group Members: 

Megan Maynes-Reseacher 

Ryan Greenough-Researcher

Danae DeVine-Interviewer 

Melissa Ang-Interviewer

2010 Editors:

Halle Goodwin

Kelly Griffin

Works Cited

"Coed Dorm Life: Pros and Cons of Mixed-Sex Residence Halls for College Students | Suite101.com." Colleges | Suite101.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2009.

"College Dorm Life." CollegeView College Finder & Recruiting Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2009.

"Life outside the dorms: pros and cons of commuting to school -." The Daily of the University of Washington. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2009.

"The Pros and Cons of Living Off Campus." Wall Street Journal 21 Mar. 2007: n. pag. Print.

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