Why Should You Choose a Student Dorm?

Apart from getting more opportunities to make friends, living in a student dorm can also be useful when it comes to studying. Still up at 3am and need to speak to someone about tomorrow’s exam – see who else still has their light on! Need a particular book that you couldn’t find at the library? Post a note on the notice board to see if anyone in your dorm has a copy.

Living in a student dorm means you can set your alarm later in the mornings, as student accommodation is usually located very close to the main university campus. In some cases, you may even have classes and facilities right in the same building or group of buildings (you should probably still get changed out of your pyjamas though...) An example of this is the self-contained colleges of Cambridge and Oxford University, where students live and have classes all within the college site.

Living alone or with a roommate is very different from living at home. Many of us, including myself, grew up not having to do too many household chores, repairs or paying bills. So if your choice is between staying at home or student dorms, the latter is a good opportunity to learn how to be less dependent on your family, without being completely out there on your own!

So, to student dorm or not to student dorm? That’s the question, and it isn’t a hard one. I’d strongly recommend that students should experience, at least once in the next three or so years of their university lives, living in a dorm. Besides the practical perks, it’s mainly just a lot of fun!