An ongoing series about how and why I persisted in college
Freshman year outside my first residence hall with friends—Klipple Hall, Ball State
If there’s a lesson my son—now a first-year college student—has heard me share about college to make me sound like a broken record, it’s how awesome it was to live in the dorms. You weren’t expecting that right? Or maybe you were if you read one of my earlier posts about how much I loved the brightly painted concrete walls and the rows of bathroom stalls to choose from. You think I’m joking, but I’m not. Again, it’s a glimpse into my psyche you may not have wanted.
Sadly my first dorm wasn’t the dorm with a zillion bathroom stalls I’d stayed in while at camp the summer before. Nor did it have brightly painted cinder block. I didn’t know my roommate either except for one phone call letting her know I’d bring a mini-fridge and the portable TV/VCR combo. She said she’d bring the answering machine. (There are so many references to date me in this post. See if you can spot them. Don’t worry there’ll be more.). On move-in day my dad and older brother bought a “loft kit” from someone off the side of the road and they hammered together a bunk for me. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, and I never once worried if my mattress would be comfortable enough (while yes, I did worry about that for my son, and yes, I did buy him a mattress topper he probably didn’t need). My biggest worry was not having the zillion bathroom stalls I thought I was promised! Dorm life allowed me to transition into life away from home and focus on my studies while not having to think about paying rent and utilities on time, grocery shopping, making meals, finding a laundromat, or keeping a bathroom sparkling clean. (These are all things I learned to do every summer, but that’s a story for another day). Honestly, the only real negative was the lack of air conditioning and the sinus infection/bronchitis that happened every.single.fall because of my allergies without it. Granted these are not things I had to worry about before coming to college. If there was anything that felt magically new it was all-access dinners! However, while my mom was not a cook, there was always enough cereal and Micro Magic hamburgers (and money for Taco Bell) for easy meals if I wanted them. I was not a person in need and dorm life made sure it stayed that way.
It should be no surprise to you then that I lived all 4 years in the dorms. I had a 10-15 hour a week job at the front desk of my residence hall which was another perk to dorm life. It was a job with minimal effort and lots of built-in study time. I easily made friends on the floor and enjoyed having my friends as roommates. And yes, I did get used to not having a zillion bathroom stalls to choose from. Another reason I chose to live in the dorms was being close to my classes. I just really doubted I’d make it to class if it wasn’t easily walkable. (I may have been right. I tried to audit a class after graduating and only made it to a few. It pays to know yourself). Did you know, “Class attendance appears to be a better predictor of college grades than any other known predictor of college grades — including SAT scores, HSGPA, studying skills, and the amount of time spent studying” (Credè & Kuncel, 2008; Hezlett et al., 2001, as cited in Credè et al, 2010, p. 288). Maybe residence halls should use that info for marketing purposes. It worked for me!
I have to be honest. My roses and sunshine view of the residence halls is really highlighting my privilege here. How awesome to not have to worry about paying rent or utilities, where I’d lay my head at night, where I could take a hot shower, and where my next meal was coming from. Everything I needed was right in my dorm—including washers and dryers! It makes me wonder if housing and meal plans were included for those students with greater financial needs, would the burdens they carry be lifted enough for them to concentrate on finishing school and obtaining their degree? I’m wondering if (and if so, how easily) these exact needs are provided for through the Dean of Students, Basic Needs Hub and Unaccompanied Homeless and Foster Youth programs at Ball State? I think the top reason I loved living in the dorms was not having to worry about any of those needs. If those who are much less fortunate could experience those freedoms and the relief it brings without the worry of cost, I’d hope they’d feel a burden lifted.
(On a ridiculous note, how many dated references did you find? I count 8, but they’re so ingrained in me I’m sure I missed others.)
Read on: Persistence 1 • Persistence 2 • Persistence 3 • Persistence 4
References
Credé, M., Roch, S. G., & Kieszczynka, U. M. (2010). Class attendance in college: A meta-analytic review of the relationship of class attendance with grades and student characteristics. Review of Educational Research, 80(2), 272–295. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654310362998
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