Are dorm rooms furnished in college?
Dorm rooms are furnished to a degree. They would have all the basic items that you need. We discussed what these are below, as well as what you should and should not bring with you.
What Will a Room Have?
There would be a twin bed, desk with chair, bookcase, dresser, trash bin, and message board. You’re likely going to share the room with somebody else. There would be two sets of all the furniture mentioned.
Most dorms have built-in HVAC systems. Bringing a portable heater or AC of your own would be pricey.
You may be wondering if there would be curtains. Expect very standard blinds and curtains. Changing the curtains, the university provided might be a good idea. They would be basic, so a lot of light would come in. Also, changing the curtains in a room can transform the way it looks. You can make the space look homely.
You’re allowed to decorate and change the orientation of the furniture. However, you aren’t allowed to nail things to the wall. You’ll have to use safety tacks and tape if you want to hang anything.
The furniture that the university provides can’t be removed. Many students think about swapping the chairs in the community spaces with the ones in their rooms. You’ll get in trouble if you do this.
Also, dorms have wall-to-wall carpeting. Removing it is not allowed.
Of course, there would be fire detectors installed. Your residential assistant could terminate your housing contract if you cover them or take their batteries out.
How Do You Buy Furniture for Your Room?
Don’t buy anything unless you know the exact dimensions of your dorm. Due to the limited space, try and get items that take up more vertical space than horizontal.
Technically, anything can be bought, as long as it doesn’t go against the campus housing rules. If you’re not sure whether you can bring something, speak to your residential assistant.
College students don’t have a lot to spend. Buying furniture second-hand would be smart. Garage sales are an excellent place to look.
How Are Dorm Rooms Laid Out?
Singles
There would be one bed. The only way for you to get a single room is if you request one. Your request would only be granted if you need a space of your own.
Although you’ll be living alone, you have to share a bathroom, laundry room, and dining hall with the others in the building.
Doubles
Doubles are the most common choice for freshmen. You won’t feel overwhelmed living with so many people, and you won’t feel lonely, as someone else would be around.
Most colleges randomly pair students up. However, you can request a roommate if you have someone in mind.
There would be two twin beds but most schools let you swap the twin beds for bunk beds.
The bathroom, laundry room, and dining hall will be shared with the others in the building.
Triple
There would be one bunk and one regular twin bed. If it’s a quad room, there will be two bunk beds instead.
Are you an outgoing person? Requesting for a triple or quad dorm might be ideal. You’ll never feel lonely.
Suites
Suites connect different rooms together. You can think of them as large apartments. The most basic suites consist of two singles. There would be a shared hall and bathroom. Some suites have kitchens attached too.
There can be up to 4 people living together. There would be two singles with bunk beds. Certain suites can have up to 6 people living in them, as there would be 3 rooms with bunk beds.
What Should You Bring to College?
Everything that we have discussed below is quite general. Different schools have different rules about what you can bring.
Dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers are easily the best thing to bring with you. Dorms are small without much ventilation, so they can be humid. The excess moisture would cause you to sweat more. There would also be a mildew stench. Now, dehumidifiers can be pricey. Split the bill with your roommate.
Linen
University housing won’t provide linen. There won’t be restrictions on the type of bedding or pillowcases that you can get.
Get hold of high-quality cotton bedding. The sheets would be breathable, so you won’t sweat a lot when it gets hot.
Pedestal Fan
Portable air conditioners are expensive. Getting a pedestal fan might be a better idea. You can point it at your window to create a cross-breeze. This would create an AC-like cooling effect.
Electric Kettle
College housing won’t let you have a coffee maker. We’ve discussed why this is below. For all coffee lovers out there, all is not lost. You can purchase an electric kettle. You will be able to make all sorts of hot drinks.
What Should You Not Bring to College?
Anything With a Heating Element
Products with open heating elements won’t be allowed. This isn’t surprising, as fires could break out. This would not only put your life in danger, but everyone in the building would be at risk too.
If your college does let you keep items with open heating elements, there would be several rules in place. What you brought might have to be a certain size and wattage.
Examples of items that would be restricted are:
- Candles
- Slow cookers
- Grills
- Stoves
- Toasters
- Irons
- Mini fridge
Everything provided on the list has open heating elements except for mini-fridges, so you might be wondering why they aren’t allowed. After all, they cool food. They can heat up when overworked.
Many students complain about the less-than-great food they have at university. The lack of basic appliances is one of the reasons why.
Television
Don’t waste your money buying a TV. Dorms are small, so a TV might not even fit. Televisions are also major distractions.
Blender
There probably won’t be rules about owning a blender. However, you should not bring one. They make a lot of noise. College dorms have thin walls, so you would disturb others.
Dishware
You’ll have most of your meals in the dining hall. If you’re going to eat in your room, it would most likely be take-out. There is no need to have dishware and pots or pans.
Desktop Computer
Do you have a gaming PC back home? Don’t take it to college. It would take up a lot of space. Moreover, desktop computers are noisier than laptops. They also produce a lot of heat. Dorms don’t have the best ventilation, so the heat would be trapped inside and make it uncomfortable for you.
The university would provide you with all the basic items. This will include a bed, desk, dresser, and trash bin. You could buy more items if you like, but they could take up too much space and look cluttered. A dehumidifier is one of the best things you could buy.
It would make your dorm more comfortable when it gets hot. You can split the bill with your roommate if it’s too pricey for you. Meanwhile, a TV would be one of the worst things you could purchase. It would be a huge distraction and take up a lot of space.
