While it is easier and more comfortable in your own home, living in the dorms has its advantages by letting the student live the true college experience.

Cal State Northridge is known for being major commuter school Therfore CSUN students struggle with making new friends. We all have that fear the night before school that everyone is going to know everyone else and we will never meet anyone. Living in the dorms can help alleviate some of that insecurity.

In a school of 33,000 students, it is easy to feel lost and not connected to anyone. Sometimes you never see the people outside of your classes since most of them rush home after school. When living in the dorms, you are living with a good amount of people that are in the same situation as you. It is hard not to make friends when you are living side by side to someone and seeing him or her everyday.

In the case that you and your roommate just don’t click, there is a whole building full of people that you are sure to get along with when hanging out in the dorm building or in the dining room. If you always rushed home after class you would never make the kind of friends you would in a dorm.

Another plus about living in the dorms is their location to school. Since most students drive from their homes to class,  they constantly worry about freeway conditions, parking spaces being available, or even the amount that parking permits are costing this semester. Living in a dorm, can relieve you of many worries.

The dorms are on campus are just a walk away from classrooms. Those who live in student housing often get to in sleep in longer, since they would not have to leave hours before class as some commuters do. Students who don’t feel like walking to class, get some use out of their bike to navigate around our large campus faster. Plus, riding a bike is much more eco-friendly than driving a car.

Academically the dorms are also great places to meet people and form study groups. It is not uncommon to find your fellow classmatess living in the dorms as well. In general, the dorms can also serve as a place where students can help others with classes. Students living in the dorms also don’t have to deal with nagging parents, constantly reminding them to study.

Also, the dorms are always sponsoring events for their residents. There are movie nights, game rooms, and always a community lounge where big groups can hang if they need a break from the same four walls they see day and night.

Another benefit to the dorms is the money issue. College kids do not make a lot of money if they work part-time. Money could also be tight if they decide to devote all their time to school and choose not to work. By living in the dorms, students most likely won’t spend their money on eating out. The dorms offer meal plans that cover that kind of thing with just one monthly payment. Most dining halls are open all day between meal times for those students who need to eat around their class schedules.

Some dorms also come with an attached kitchen. Imagine being able to make what you want, when you want it.  You no longer have to eat whatever your family is eating whether you like it or not. Living in the dorms is also cheaper than renting an apartment anywhere in the valley. Living in an apartment, can get pricey when taking into consideration the rent, utilities, internet and cable.

A final plus to living in a dorm is the freedom you are given. Once you give your final hug to your parents on move in day it will seem daunting and a little scary. But that is the fun of it. You can plan your room the way you want without your mother’s comments about the pictures you hang. You can lounge all day in your sweats watching TV without your dad telling you to mow the lawn. You have the freedom to leave the dorm when you want and go where you want.

Remember to check in with your parents weekly especially if your parents are helping with the housing bill. But overall you no longer have to tell them where you are going every time you walk out the front door and who you will be with. By living in the dorms you can plan your days around your own needs and desires.