How to Get the Most out of Co Ed Dorms
Introduce yourself to people., Cultivate friendships with your neighbors., Hit up orientation events and activities planned in your dorm., Leave your door open whenever you’re around., Start a weekly get-together in your hall or room., Take...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Introduce yourself to people.
Since there are so many fellow students living in the same building as you, there are basically non-stop opportunities to meet new, exciting people.
One of the best things about co-ed dorms is that they provide a sense of instant community.
You’ll rarely if ever again be in a position where prospective friends are so abundant and accessible.
Take advantage of it! If you see someone in the hall, commons area or entryway, there’s no reason not to say hello: “Hi, do you live here, too? I’m Scott; nice to meet you.” If you encounter a group of fellow residents gathered informally and socializing, don’t be afraid to join in: “Hi, everyone, I’m Katie.
Can I join you?” -
Step 2: Cultivate friendships with your neighbors.
You’ll see the people that live immediately around you more than most people, so why not be on friendly terms with them? It’ll create a sense of community and make those inevitable bathroom encounters much less awkward.
The easiest way to make yours neighbors into friends is to acknowledge them when you see them, and stop for chat whenever you’re both in the hallway.
If you’re having trouble finding an opening to introduce yourself, ask to borrow something like a stapler or seek their advice about something, for example: “Say, I’m about to grab some food.
Do you know of any good places to eat around campus?” Invite them over to hang out.
You live right next to each other, so why not have them to your room for a film or a cupcake? “My roommate and I are going watch Rockie tonight, would you like to join us?” , Besides giving you important info about campus life, they're a great, low-pressure way of meeting people just like you, that is, people who are also new to campus and looking for friends.
Welcome Week and in-hall gatherings will often include icebreakers, which give you the opportunity to connect with people you might not already know. , Doing so will make people take notice of you.
It will also give fellow residents the impression that you’re friendly and accessible, which will encourage them to wander in and have a chat. , This way you can meet all the people in your area without having to single anyone out on an individual basis.
Be sure that it’s at the same time each week so that people know what to expect.
The get-together could be an informal mixer, or you could gear it towards a specific activity.
For instance, you could have movie night in your room and have guest taking turns picking the film.
Or, you could have people gather in the commons area to watch a popular tv program when it airs.
Maybe you want people to play chess or bake cookies with.
Pick a format that interest you and will best accommodate the kind of people you want to meet. , Host dinner parties or potlucks.
Make brownies and popcorn to accompany a movie.
As an added bonus, friends and romantic interests alike love people who can cook or bake.
Put something in the oven, and people will follow the delicious aromas. , Helping a local charity is a meaningful way to meet people and help your community while creating community within your hall.
If there’s a cause that’s important to you, give them a call to see what the best way would be to help out.
If a donation would help the most, try hosting a fundraiser.
Post an announcement in your commons area and your hall’s online forums to see who would like to be involved.
You can also go door-to-door asking people if they’d like to be involved or reach out to your residence life staff to ask them to help spread the word.
Then, work with the people who sign up to organize an event in your hall.
If volunteer work would be more useful, follow the same process to organize a service day with the organization. , You’re living with both sexes, so make friends with both.
Don’t let biases limit your interactions with people or insecurities keep you from engaging with them.
If you feel nervous about asking an individual person to hang out, invite them to do something as part of a group.
This is likely to make them feel more comfortable, too.
Things will go more smoothly for you if you’re friendly but not flirtatious with everyone.
If it seems like you’re only interested in sexual relationships, it can make people wary and put a damper on friendships.
Remember: friendships often last longer than sexual relationships, so it’s wise to focus on cultivating friendships first. , When you’re attracted to someone, it’s hard to slow down and think about the matter rationally.
But, if you want to avoid or at least prepare yourself for the potential of future drama, it’s worth taking some time to consider the possible drawbacks of the relationship before you pursue it.
If you plan on dating someone who lives in the same hall as you, make sure that you understand the pros and cons before starting that relationship.
For instance, if they live on the same floor, be aware that you’ll be running into them often.
That’s great while you’re dating but can be awkward if you break up.
Be up front with them about your concerns.
You can broach the subject by saying something like, "I'm really excited about going out with you, but I want to make sure that it won't compromise our friendship." Communicating about this early on will make it more likely that you can stay dorm friends even if you break up.
Residents who live in a co-ed dorm are more likely to be sexually active than other students.
If you plan to be sexually active, it’s important to inform yourself about sexual health.
Campus health services offer excellent resources for students to learn about practicing safe and consensual sex.
Be sure to take advantage of the information, workshops and kit they have available.
It will make your dating life more pleasurable in the long run! -
Step 3: Hit up orientation events and activities planned in your dorm.
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Step 4: Leave your door open whenever you’re around.
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Step 5: Start a weekly get-together in your hall or room.
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Step 6: Take advantage of the community kitchen.
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Step 7: Initiate a dorm service project.
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Step 8: Hang out with a mix of people.
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Step 9: Date wisely within your hall.
Detailed Guide
Since there are so many fellow students living in the same building as you, there are basically non-stop opportunities to meet new, exciting people.
One of the best things about co-ed dorms is that they provide a sense of instant community.
You’ll rarely if ever again be in a position where prospective friends are so abundant and accessible.
Take advantage of it! If you see someone in the hall, commons area or entryway, there’s no reason not to say hello: “Hi, do you live here, too? I’m Scott; nice to meet you.” If you encounter a group of fellow residents gathered informally and socializing, don’t be afraid to join in: “Hi, everyone, I’m Katie.
Can I join you?”
You’ll see the people that live immediately around you more than most people, so why not be on friendly terms with them? It’ll create a sense of community and make those inevitable bathroom encounters much less awkward.
The easiest way to make yours neighbors into friends is to acknowledge them when you see them, and stop for chat whenever you’re both in the hallway.
If you’re having trouble finding an opening to introduce yourself, ask to borrow something like a stapler or seek their advice about something, for example: “Say, I’m about to grab some food.
Do you know of any good places to eat around campus?” Invite them over to hang out.
You live right next to each other, so why not have them to your room for a film or a cupcake? “My roommate and I are going watch Rockie tonight, would you like to join us?” , Besides giving you important info about campus life, they're a great, low-pressure way of meeting people just like you, that is, people who are also new to campus and looking for friends.
Welcome Week and in-hall gatherings will often include icebreakers, which give you the opportunity to connect with people you might not already know. , Doing so will make people take notice of you.
It will also give fellow residents the impression that you’re friendly and accessible, which will encourage them to wander in and have a chat. , This way you can meet all the people in your area without having to single anyone out on an individual basis.
Be sure that it’s at the same time each week so that people know what to expect.
The get-together could be an informal mixer, or you could gear it towards a specific activity.
For instance, you could have movie night in your room and have guest taking turns picking the film.
Or, you could have people gather in the commons area to watch a popular tv program when it airs.
Maybe you want people to play chess or bake cookies with.
Pick a format that interest you and will best accommodate the kind of people you want to meet. , Host dinner parties or potlucks.
Make brownies and popcorn to accompany a movie.
As an added bonus, friends and romantic interests alike love people who can cook or bake.
Put something in the oven, and people will follow the delicious aromas. , Helping a local charity is a meaningful way to meet people and help your community while creating community within your hall.
If there’s a cause that’s important to you, give them a call to see what the best way would be to help out.
If a donation would help the most, try hosting a fundraiser.
Post an announcement in your commons area and your hall’s online forums to see who would like to be involved.
You can also go door-to-door asking people if they’d like to be involved or reach out to your residence life staff to ask them to help spread the word.
Then, work with the people who sign up to organize an event in your hall.
If volunteer work would be more useful, follow the same process to organize a service day with the organization. , You’re living with both sexes, so make friends with both.
Don’t let biases limit your interactions with people or insecurities keep you from engaging with them.
If you feel nervous about asking an individual person to hang out, invite them to do something as part of a group.
This is likely to make them feel more comfortable, too.
Things will go more smoothly for you if you’re friendly but not flirtatious with everyone.
If it seems like you’re only interested in sexual relationships, it can make people wary and put a damper on friendships.
Remember: friendships often last longer than sexual relationships, so it’s wise to focus on cultivating friendships first. , When you’re attracted to someone, it’s hard to slow down and think about the matter rationally.
But, if you want to avoid or at least prepare yourself for the potential of future drama, it’s worth taking some time to consider the possible drawbacks of the relationship before you pursue it.
If you plan on dating someone who lives in the same hall as you, make sure that you understand the pros and cons before starting that relationship.
For instance, if they live on the same floor, be aware that you’ll be running into them often.
That’s great while you’re dating but can be awkward if you break up.
Be up front with them about your concerns.
You can broach the subject by saying something like, "I'm really excited about going out with you, but I want to make sure that it won't compromise our friendship." Communicating about this early on will make it more likely that you can stay dorm friends even if you break up.
Residents who live in a co-ed dorm are more likely to be sexually active than other students.
If you plan to be sexually active, it’s important to inform yourself about sexual health.
Campus health services offer excellent resources for students to learn about practicing safe and consensual sex.
Be sure to take advantage of the information, workshops and kit they have available.
It will make your dating life more pleasurable in the long run!
About the Author
Jeffrey Powell
Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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