Making the decision of where to live while you are at college is just about as tough of a decision as which college to attend in the first place. Obviously, being satisfied with your living environment has a significant impact on your academic success. Many students, especially first-year students, make the decision to live on campus, and some campuses require first-year students to live on campus. Regardless of who makes the decision, the outcomes of living on campus can be extremely positive.

Research has shown that students living on campus have a substantially higher chance of persisting in college than commuter students. Students living on campus are also more likely to be involved in extracurricular activities (campus leadership and athletics in particular), as well as more likely to aspire to attend graduate or professional school. For men, living on campus generally helps increase their overall grade point average. Students living on campus tend to be more satisfied with their total undergraduate experience than commuter students are.

If you have made the decision to live on campus, make sure you get the most from this experience. There are so many opportunities to get involved with the residential experience. Chances are that your dormitory has a hall government which basically does just that -- governs the hall. The government might have some responsibility for making decisions about rules and policies for the hall, and they are responsible for planning social and educational activities for the residents of your building. The hall will more than likely have a conduct board comprised of students that live in the building that will be responsible for determining the sanctions of individuals that do not follow conduct polices. Your hall will have a hall counselor or resident advisor that is responsible for helping you have a successful experience living on campus. The hall counselor is the one that also makes sure everyone follows the appropriate rules and policies. All of these opportunities (hall government, conduct board, hall counselor) are there for the right person. If you want to make a difference in your on-campus living environment, get involved with some aspect of the hall in some way.

There is no such thing as the perfect roommate. Many people believe the best way to ruin a friendship is to room with a friend. Living together in a "tight" area will be stressful, but you have to work through it. Be honest and be direct. Set standards and limits with your roommate, and handle the conflict as it happens. If you have trouble communicating with your roommate, talk with your hall counselor. One thing is for sure: Roommate conflicts were definitely one topic that was covered during their training! Have a great year!

Research from: Astin, A. Four Critical Years. Josey-Bass, Inc.: 1983.