“I’m bored” should never be a phrase uttered by a college student, especially one living on campus. Between classes and studying, dorm activities, intramural sports, Greek activities and the endless of other social and academic events taking place, every student can and will find a place to keep them occupied.

Here are some sure-fire places to find fellow coeds killing time and not being bored.

• Start in the dorm. Whether with your roommate or the girls across the hall, watch a movie, go shopping or just grab a snack and chat.
• Go clubbin’. And we don’t mean at the bar. Most larger colleges and universities have hundreds of clubs and organizations that suit nearly every possible interest and college major. Join one, or two. Read the rest of this entry »

This guest post comes from John Spiropoulos, B.A., a 3 time Emmy award winning TV news reporter whose website — www.collegefreshmansurvival.com — is devoted to the success of college freshmen.

Right now parents and students are focused on what to take to college. Now is also the time to think about what you want to keep in college, because without taking proper precautions, your valuables may be stolen. Here’s what to do:

Lock Your Room Doors in the Residence Hall

Break-ins are rare. Usually, items are stolen because doors are left open or unlocked. Unless your roommate is in the room, ALWAYS lock the door when you leave, even if it’s just going down the hall to the bathroom. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you a college freshman headed to campus this fall? The most important thing to know is to not feel overwhelmed. While there is a lot to take care of, it will all come together in time to move to the dorms if you prepare during the summer.

Here we’ve compiled a list of things you won’t want to overlook:

• Get your computer in order – make sure it has the right software, meets campus IT guidelines, and has been cleaned-up, backed-up and upgraded if necessary. Read the rest of this entry »

Being a college roommate is not easy. If housing services “matches” you with someone you’re far from compatible with, you’re going to have to make the most of it. While you’ll likely find ways to be amicable and keep the peace while you’re in the room, conflicts are sure to arise.

You’re not at home and you can’t run to tell your parents. They can’t fix it. This is one of those times you’ll have to resolve the problem on your own. And hopefully your roommate is responsive to your polite and friendly suggestions for living peacefully under one concrete ceiling.

Here we take a look at a few common points of tension, and the best ways to fix them.

Neat Freak vs. Pack Rat

Everyone’s definition of clean will vary. You need to work together early in the relationship to define what that will look like in your room. Read the rest of this entry »

As you start packing, shopping and preparing to move to the dorms in the next few weeks, remember the size of your room.

The average dorm room is about 12′ x 9′ for a total of 108 square feet. This is shared with a roommate, desks, beds, and likely a counter top or chest of drawers. Split in half, you can call 54 square feet of that space your very own home sweet home. For reference, the average jail cell is about 96 square feet.

Living in the dorms, in what feels like cramped space, for 75 percent of a year can give you a chance to stretch your creative decorating and organizational muscles. And regardless of how much space you do or don’t have, it’s an experience worth having. Read the rest of this entry »

I was lucky enough to always live off-campus, so I never had the true “dorm cafeteria experience,” nor did I have to balance a microwave, laptop, and television on my small desk that barely fit in my room. I had a kitchen, but that didn’t necessarily mean I ate balanced, healthy, home-cooked meals all the time. College budgets are small, so for me, there was a lot of pizza and Kraft Mac and Cheese. For a long time after I graduated, I couldn’t even look at a PB&J, as it had been a staple of my college diet.

For most students living in the dorms, dinner meant soup in a hotpot or getting pizza delivered. The most interesting thing about the campus dining hall was often the salad bar – and how interesting can a salad bar really be? Read the rest of this entry »

There are many lists telling you what to bring to college: towels, extra pencils, a soft blanket, pictures of family, etc. So what if you follow those guidelines perfectly, but you also add in a little of your own “creative flair” and show up to the dorms with some items you probably should have left at home? Never fear! Here’s my *Official* Things to NOT Bring to College Guide, compiled from the advice of leading experts in the field (You know, students who have lived in dorms!).

1. Yearbooks/Diaries/Keepsakes

“College, like the mid-90s for Madonna, is a time for reinvention. For most people, it means a completely clean slate: no high school drama, none of the old cliques or problems, and the chance to be the person you always knew you could be,” says DormDelicious.com. Don’t bring high school with you if you want to stand any chance of fully embracing the college experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Living in the dorms. Everyone knows it is a huge part of the college experience. I lived on an all-girls floor at the University of Oklahoma during my freshman year and met my best friends there. I will never forget the late night trips to the ice-cream shop and “The Bachelor” marathons we watched together. I loved my dorm girls more than anything else my freshman year. I cannot imagine what it would have been like if I had gone to Stanford, The University of Chicago, or any of the other 50 universities where co-ed dorm rooms are now available.

As is to be expected, many parents are deeply troubled by this. However, if a boy and a girl are going to be sharing a dorm room, you would at least hope that they wanted that arrangement.  Read the rest of this entry »

On my last college visit to University of Tulsa, I realized after talking to my overnight host and a few of her friends, that there are many small things students take advantage of having at home and then completely forget to take with them to their dorms. While some items may seem insignificant, some can probably help keep you better organized, not only in your dorm, but with your daily schedule.

1. Calendar -  Any type of calendar or agenda you can keep handy on which to write important dates. One good idea is a dry-erase calendar for your dorm, so if any dates change, they can easily be wiped off and corrected without having to scribble something out. A dry-erase calendar is also nice because it never “expires”. Read the rest of this entry »

I know, you are all probably thinking, how many visits is she going to go on?! I hope to say this was my final visit. Of course, each of my visits have been so unique I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to travel and visit so many schools! This visit to University of Tulsa, was much different from any of my visits so far!

The University of Tulsa is a private university with an undergrad population of about 3,000 students.

My best friend and I went to Tulsa Sunday February 15- Monday February 16 to attend what they call Tulsa Time. Tulsa Time was two days filled with a variety of sessions, class experience opportunities and almost anything else you can think of. We toured the sororities, sat in on an Anatomy and Physiology class, and learned about the Pre-Med program. What made this visit so much different from the other visits was that we got to spend the night on campus with an actual TU student!

We got matched with our host before dinner and went to the dorms. We then had dinner with the parents and hosts and after that the parents left, leaving us with just our hosts! During this time we were allowed to do whatever we wanted with our hosts on campus. We met another student who was hosting a few students and had some great discussions not only about Tulsa, but just college in general. We even asked about things you will need in a dorm, but might overlook. Things such as scissors and a bathrobe. So being with a student over night really gave you a good feel of what the campus was like and what the dorms are like and other things you wouldn’t normally experience when just touring and interviewing.

So if you ever get the chance, I would advise doing an overnight college visit! It can really give you a good idea of whether or not the college is right for you!