Published Friday, August 23, 2002
apply style to dorm rooms
By Larissa Theodore
Herald Staff Writer
College students returning to the dorms this year know what to expect from on-campus housing, but for freshman the change can be a significant adjustment.
Going from living under their parents' roof to living with a total stranger is a tremendous switch.
Joni L. Gargano, 17, of 68 Shenango Blvd., Farrell, said she's lucky because her current roommate is also one of her buddies from high school.
Joni, a Farrell High alumna, is a freshman and pharmacy major at the University of Pittsburgh.
She recently moved into her dorm room at Pitt and said she felt prepared because she was ready for a change.
"You have to be prepared to make some changes because it's a different lifestyle," she said.
She tried to get a feel for life at Pitt during the summer by visiting the school and talking to several older students about campus life. Actually moving was a whole other issue.
"I like it so far, but I wish I would have moved in later in the day instead of in the middle of the day with everybody else," she said.
She said she tried to make her dorm room more comfortable by hanging up pictures of her friends.
"I have everything that I need, but I have a lot more space than I thought I would."
Roseanne Gill-Jacobson, vice president of student services and dean of students at Thiel College, Greenville, said students should arrange their dorm space to feel at home. She has seen students at Thiel doing all types of different things to their rooms.
"They make it pretty much like their bedrooms at home," she said. "It's an opportunity for students to express who they are. You'll see plain rooms, or rooms with many posters on the walls or rooms with clothes all over the floors. I've also walked into rooms that look like mini-apartments. It's just a matter of expression."
She said individual institutions have their own policies, such as painting the walls.
"Students need to check with their institution's department of residence life to find out what is permitted," she said.
Molly Burnett, assistant dean of student affairs at Westminster College, said about 95 percent of students at Westminster choose to spend their first year living in dormitories.
She said dorm students are given a heads up on what to bring -- or not bring -- to school.
Whatever fits into the dorm room and makes students feel comfortable and at home is welcome at Westminster, Ms. Burnett said.
"It could be a favorite chair or a Playstation. We encourage our students to bring a small size refrigerator or microwave. We don't permit anything that could cause a fire or other health concerns."
This means candles, toasters or pets that aren't aquarium fish, aren't permitted, she said.
"If you want to see chaos you should see what happens when someone's snake goes missing," Ms. Burnett said.
She said students in on-campus housing at Westminster are all required to do a roommate agreement.
"We sit with each pair, talk with them about different issues that could come up and how to handle those. So many of our students live on campus, so it makes sense for them to do an agreement, especially first year students."
Westminster also offers a 5-day orientation program and Thiel offers a 4-day orientation to help new students adjust with campus life.
A volunteer staff of about 85 upperclassmen at Westminster help put the intensive orientation program together and also serve as mentors during the school year, Ms. Burnett said.
Orientation sessions are strictly devoted to college life and cover issues of fire safety, roommate relationships, health and safety issues. New students also get to meet staff members and receive advice on where to go if they have issues or questions.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharonherald.com