College Dorms?

[Traindom]

Hello guys. I'm almost ready to commit to the University of Miami for engineering, but I'm still undecided as to where I should reside. Here's the financial situation: The university has given me a scholarship that covers the majority of the expenses for me. I might have to pay only $8000 in loans with the help of my parents, not including room and board, which is most likely another $12,000. I can't really work part-time because I have to maintain good grades and I think a part-time job will take away from this.

My father also put it this way: I can live in the dorms and not have a car or live at home and have a car. Commute is forty minutes at the most.

That's the financial situation. I don't really want to take on too much debt either, even if my parents would help me. I don't want to be locked into a career just to pay off the debt.

So I had the choice between staying at home, an apartment, or the dorms.

I decided that an apartment would be way too hectic with the rent, cable, and more.

I have a lot of accommodations at home, of course, and I'll never have to worry about food. I also get a car which can come in pretty handy.

Unfortunately, I've seen the dorms. I don't know how dorms are in general, but these dorms were like prison cells. I've seen the ones at UCLA and they were much nicer on average. I'm sad to say that the food is pretty terrible. The bathrooms are communal, which I could work with, but I have no experience with them. Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

I honestly don't think I'd be too happy if I moved into the dorms, overall. By the way, when I say the food is terrible, I really mean it. The reason I'm so put off by it is because I like to eat healthy. It's easy to do at home. But I don't want to eat crap everyday. Some people may be able to do that, but I'm terribly repulsed by the thought. It's not so much the food that's a problem but the inability to get good food. If my diet goes to hell, so does my training, mood, and self-esteem. Training is really the only thing that is building the self-esteem steadily.

I don't think I'm lying when I say I'd be seriously pissed everyday JUST because of the food. I'm kind of anal when it comes to that stuff. I know it sounds like I'm being picky, but I'm not going to go to college thinking I'll just adapt eventually. I know myself in this respect pretty well.

Here's my question. Is it bad if I stay home either the first year or for all the years, even if I make an effort to have a steady social circle? I would have a car, so that could help a little.

[Jon]

I can't tell you what's right for you, but I am so glad I lived in dorms first year of college. I didn't have the option of living at home, but I loved living in the dorms - and they looked like prison cells, and the food sucked. You bond over those things with your dorm-mates. Yes the food is terrible, but you are all sitting together complaining about the food. Dorms are a massive boost for your social life, no way around it. There's making an effort, but then there's the natural tendency of people to just become friends with their dorm-mates. It has a huge effect.

[Traindom]

I see... I've heard that dorms were crucial for socializing. It seems like I have a lot to think over.

[Tim]

Things are different in the states than here in NZ, but from my own experience and what I know of the states I also highly recommend dorms. The conditions are often shitty, but you're all in the same boat. I ate really healthily at home before uni, and I hated the food there, but it's just something you put up with. It's all worth it IMO.

I think you can make any of those three options work but dorms are definitely the easiest, and in your freshman year that's important. You just want to be working hard and playing hard, forgetting about everything else.

[Traindom]

Thanks for the reply, Tim. I think I'll look over the meal plans and see if I can make the best of it. I think they at least have chicken.

[Creatine Dreams]

I definitely vote for the dorms. The benefits to your social life will be well worth it. Even better if you have a coed building!

[Traindom]

After much thought and self-examination, I decided I'm going to stay at home for the first year. This past year I've developed so much discipline in the way of my training and diet that to compromise that in any way is going to be a bigger blow to my self-esteem than a lack of friends. Some people can cope with the terrible food, but I really can't even stand the thought of it.

Given the circumstances, I want to prioritize investing in myself these four years and the training and diet is a huge part of that. If I change that, I'll be too pissed to make any friends, maintain good grades, or do anything at all. I don't want to look back and think I could have invested more in myself and maybe a little less in getting validation from people who I might not see again. I rather err on the side of investing in myself than in others.

This doesn't mean I won't socialize though. I'll make an effort to socialize. Once I get a feel for my class schedule and free time, I'll be able to better sort this out. I'll definitely make an effort to stay out of the house for as much time as I can.

Thanks for the responses, guys. And thanks for not being narrow in your answers. I appreciate that you guys considered the fact that every person is different.

I know I'm doing what's right for me.

[IdEngager]

(04-26-2012 10:15 PM)Traindom Wrote:  Unfortunately, I've seen the dorms. I don't know how dorms are in general, but these dorms were like prison cells. I've seen the ones at UCLA and they were much nicer on average. I'm sad to say that the food is pretty terrible. The bathrooms are communal, which I could work with, but I have no experience with them. Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

Haha! I went to UCLA! And lived in those dorms for two years. I actually still work within seeing distance of campus even if I haven't stepped there in at least two years or so, they've built a ton of new residential buildings since I've lived there, a far cry from what I lived in back as a naive 18 year old. Don't know if you were talking about the food at UCLA or Miami, but in my experience the food at UCLA was fucking delicious, to the point of serious weight gain, which I'm sure is the complete opposite of what you want.

Miami, from what I know of it, a friend of mine did audio engineering there, is pretty much a commuter school anyway, but socializing while commuting is hard. I should know, I'm from LA. So much time wasted sitting in cars and stressing about parking and whatnot instead of just interacting with people. But it seems you've had your mind made up already and are just wired differently from me, at least, so I wish the best of luck.

[Traindom]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it. Yeah, UCLA was very nice. The food was awesome from what I saw. I was actually referring to the the food at UM.

Is it really a commuter school? I didn't know. Did your friend have anything else to say about it? I'd be delighted to know. But yes, I've decided to commute, at least the first year. If I find commuting to be too much, I'll just move out the second year of college.

Thanks for the best wishes. It's really refreshing to see so many people that consider that each person and their situation is unique. I'm happy I didn't get shut out with this topic. Thanks guys!