2008 Woodie Awards
Dos and don'ts of on-campus living
Doug Graham
Issue date: 7/26/07 Section: Campus Life
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Don't call it a dorm.
Melissa Beisel, assistant director of university housing, says Pittsburg State University's residence halls offer far more than your typical dormitory.
"'Dorm' brings to mind a blank place where you go and sleep and it's very unwelcoming," Beisel said. "In our residence halls, we try to do a little bit more for our students. We try to make it feel like it's their home."
To that end, Beisel says different floors provide various activities, including ice cream socials, movie nights, game nights and dances.
But although there will be plenty of fun and games, life in residence halls can turn sour if students don't do what they can to make their time at PSU pleasant.
Beisel and other experienced campus housing-dwellers have several pointers to get the most out of the on-campus living experience.
Do:
Do prepare to get to know new people.
"When you crunch down all the time that you spend on a college campus, a majority of time is getting spent in your residence hall," Beisel said. "These are people who are going to become your friends and you're going to know them throughout your college career and beyond."
Do be positive.
"Have a positive attitude right off the bat," said Ash Sahni, resident assistant in Tanner Hall. "Be like, this is an awesome thing I'm going to do. Just be open to a new roommate instead of, 'Oh, I have to live with somebody, that sucks.'"
Do be open to compromise.
"I think a lot of people anymore haven't shared a room growing up, so when they come to college in the halls they're sharing a room with someone and that can be a little hard," Beisel said. "Being open to compromise and being willing to have some give and take (is essential)."
Sahni explains further:
"You can get together with (your roommate) before they come down to make sure you don't have two TVs or something like that."
Do participate.
"I think (participating in floor activities) helps them adjust to being on campus when they first get here, because they've got a group of people to go to activities with," said Beisel, "and they get to know the people they're living with even better."
Melissa Beisel, assistant director of university housing, says Pittsburg State University's residence halls offer far more than your typical dormitory.
"'Dorm' brings to mind a blank place where you go and sleep and it's very unwelcoming," Beisel said. "In our residence halls, we try to do a little bit more for our students. We try to make it feel like it's their home."
To that end, Beisel says different floors provide various activities, including ice cream socials, movie nights, game nights and dances.
But although there will be plenty of fun and games, life in residence halls can turn sour if students don't do what they can to make their time at PSU pleasant.
Beisel and other experienced campus housing-dwellers have several pointers to get the most out of the on-campus living experience.
Do:
Do prepare to get to know new people.
"When you crunch down all the time that you spend on a college campus, a majority of time is getting spent in your residence hall," Beisel said. "These are people who are going to become your friends and you're going to know them throughout your college career and beyond."
Do be positive.
"Have a positive attitude right off the bat," said Ash Sahni, resident assistant in Tanner Hall. "Be like, this is an awesome thing I'm going to do. Just be open to a new roommate instead of, 'Oh, I have to live with somebody, that sucks.'"
Do be open to compromise.
"I think a lot of people anymore haven't shared a room growing up, so when they come to college in the halls they're sharing a room with someone and that can be a little hard," Beisel said. "Being open to compromise and being willing to have some give and take (is essential)."
Sahni explains further:
"You can get together with (your roommate) before they come down to make sure you don't have two TVs or something like that."
Do participate.
"I think (participating in floor activities) helps them adjust to being on campus when they first get here, because they've got a group of people to go to activities with," said Beisel, "and they get to know the people they're living with even better."
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