The college experience is considered a transformative period in a student’s life, where students obtain an education and undergo personal growth. One aspect of college life that significantly influences this experience is housing.
Augustana offers students many different housing options, including the choice to
live in a single dorm. However, living in a single dorm can negatively impact a student’s ability to build relationships and integrate into the campus community.
Living in a single dorm certainly has its advantages. It offers a private and comfortable space where students can study, relax and recharge without the distractions of having a roommate.
However, these advantages can also very quickly become a double-edged sword for students who live in single dorms. Living in a single dorm may make it more challenging for students to interact with the campus community.
One of the main purposes of shared living spaces in a college setting is to foster interaction, socialization and the formation of meaningful connections. When students have their own room, they may be less inclined to venture out and engage with others, potentially missing out on involvement with the campus community.
Additionally, it can be more convenient to isolate oneself in a single room, avoiding the sometimes challenging process of making new friends and acquaintances.
As a result, students in single rooms might not fully experience the rich tapestry of college life, which can encompass not only academic learning but also the formation of lasting relationships.
With this in mind, students with a single room may actively engage with the campus community through other means, such as joining clubs or participating in extracurricular activities, while others may struggle with isolation and limited interaction.
Students who live in single rooms may also be perceived differently by their peers. While there is no universal stereotype for single-room occupants, there can be some common assumptions made by others.
Some may view those who choose single rooms as introverted or anti-social, which can lead to a sense of isolation and stigmatization.
It’s essential to recognize that personal choice plays a significant role in the decision to live in a single dorm.
Students choose single rooms for various reasons, like academic goals, personal preference and medical accommodations. It is important to avoid making blanket judgments about students who live in single rooms.
These judgments can perpetuate stereotypes and further isolate those who already face challenges in building social connections.
As someone who has lived in a single room for the three years I have been on
campus, it is difficult to engage socially, particularly when I was new.
As a First-Year student, I had very limited social interaction until I started getting involved in clubs and on-campus jobs midway through the year. A single room is nice because you have limited distractions and don’t have to solve a roommate conflict. However, while I’ve received these benefits from solitary living, I’ve also missed out on forming valuable friendships and gaining real-life conflict resolution skills.
Living in a single dorm can present benefits, but it poses challenges for students as they interact with the campus community.
Ultimately, there are difficulties integrating into the campus community and a student can take steps to become more involved on-campus through involvement in extracurriculars and on-campus jobs.