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Many senior students are heading to four year universities next year, meaning they’ll have to move into the freshman dorms. From reaching out to their roomate early to getting involved on campus, there are lots of ways to make the freshman year experience a little less scary.

So many seniors are leaving Sage Creek High School next year to go to Universities all over the country, which means leaving home and moving into the dreaded freshman dorms. 

“Try your best to make it your home away from home and really think about how you’re gonna do that,” Sage Creek counselor Megan Corazza said.

As housing applications, dorm room shopping and the idea of living with a complete stranger next year can all seem pretty overwhelming, here are a couple do’s and don’ts of surviving the freshman dorms next year. 

Do

• Reach out to your future roommate(s) ASAP!

“Reach out to your roommate ahead of time … as much communication as you can have beforehand [is] better,”  Corazza said.

You’ll be living with these people for the next year so getting to know them early is a must. Reach out through social media or meet in person if possible, but make sure to get to know each other, talk about rules and boundaries for next year, and don’t forget to coordinate on buying items. It’ll be no use to show up with doubles of every trash can, rug and mini fridge. Talk about who’s bringing what and consider splitting the cost of more expensive items like fridges and microwaves.

• Get to know your school’s dorm room policies.

“It’s common that students don’t even know what they need until they see the room,” Corazza said.

Before you start dorm room shopping make sure to double check out the size of your room including the square footage, bed size, storage options, empty wall space and what furniture already comes with your room. Many schools also ban certain items like microwaves, hot plates and candles so double check with your school before buying anything.

• Get to know your RAs

RA or Residential Assistants are upperclassmen students who will be living in the residence halls with you, they can be great resources in college for any problems you might run into. They already survived the freshman dorm room experience so they’re great for getting advice. RAs also work hard to plan and run events for your residence hall, which is a great way to get to know new people.

• Get to know the people on your floor

Moving to a new school where you don’t know anyone can seem pretty scary but remember everyone around you is in the same boat. Getting to know, not only your roommates. but the other people on your floor can be a great way to make new friends and get support.

• Find a couple of friends in every class

Knowing people in every class can be great for study sessions and group projects. Also, if you’re sick or just can’t get out of bed one day, having someone to text for the makeup work can save you a lot of stress.

Where will the Class of 2018 be dorming?

Class of 2018 College Commitment Map

Don’t

• Bring too much stuff

Bringing too much stuff can make your room feel messy and cluttered. Your room has less storage than you think, especially for clothes. You won’t have space to bring your whole wardrobe, so make sure to only bring things you’ll actually wear regularly. You can always swap out clothes when you go home during school breaks. For out of state students, keep in mind the weather might be a little different than our mild Carlsbad weather so be prepared!

• Spend all your time in the dorms

Many of us will be moving to new cities or even new states for college next year so make sure you see more than just the inside of your dorm room. Get involved on campus and explore your new city!

• Forget to clean up after yourself

Many of us may not have had to worry about things like dishes and laundry while living with our parents but living in a dorm means you’re on your own. Don’t be the person who forgets to wash their clothes for weeks on end. Make sure to save some time for laundry and buy some basic cleaning supplies for your dorm.

• Skip too much class

While it’s important to have fun in college you are first and foremost there to get an education. Failing a class means you’ll have to pay more to take it again so make sure to take your classes seriously.

• Forget to bring some actual school supplies

While it’s easy to get caught up with buying the perfect decor for your room, don’t forget to bring some actual school supplies too. Binders, notebooks, pencils, pens, highlighters, etc. will all help you stay organized and be prepared for class.