Andrea Shackelford
English 100
Dr. Fife

The "Western Experience"
Examining Dorm Life

Just imagine: one room, 11' X 15', shared with another person, a community bathroom with girls running in and out 24/7, discovering a new food every night that can be "zapped" in the microwave, and staying up hours upon hours talking to your roommate and cramming for a chemistry test. All these things combine to make memories of dorm life, which is just one aspect of the "Western Experience!"

What is the "Western Experience?" There are so many students that come to college with various expectations that it seems like the answers to this question are endless. The most exciting part of college, for many, is getting to be out on their own. Moms and dads help pack up their children and settle them into a dorm on campus. "Finally, they're gone. I can do whatever I want!" After saying goodbye, this is probably the thought of many college freshmen, but after being on their own for four weeks, how do they feel now? Is it still as great as they were expecting? When I asked WKU freshman, Lee Ann Lowery, this question, she responded by saying, "Yeah, right now it is. I'm still enjoying, and taking advantage of, not having any rules or curfew." So, is the college experience worth moving into a dorm? Throughout this paper I want to look at these questions and different perspectives about dorm life and let you decide for yourself if it is worth it.

What better way to find out if dorm life is working out than to just go out and talk to college freshmen living in the dorm? I asked 25 people on my dorm floor what their favorite part of dorm life was. Nine said getting to meet new people was the best, and six said that they loved being on campus close to food, classes, and constant activities. Then, of course, one-fifth said having no parents is what they enjoy; the other five answers can be summed up together to say that not having to answer to anyone, or having chores, is the best part of college life.

I asked the same 25 people what the worst part of dorm life was and 40% said having to share the bathrooms. Eight answered parking, which all Western students alike would agree to be one of the worst parts of their "Western Experience," period. Four people just have not gotten used to the small area yet; and one loner, who was obviously spoiled growing up, said her least favorite part was having to do her own laundry. Two people mentioned their least favorite part was the noise, which I did not understand until I sat down to write this paper. It is extremely aggravating trying to concentrate with people yelling outside, trains going by, and people randomly revving up their cars. (Last time I checked this was a college campus, not the race tracks.) If I were to interview myself, I think I would have to agree and say my least favorite part of dorm life is the noise also.

Well, for most college freshmen, (or sophomores), their least favorite part of dorm life is merely an obstacle. Basically, they just have to get over it. After surveying people on my floor, I went to the WKU website to see what it said about dorm life. Western requires all freshmen and sophomores to live on campus, unless there are special circumstances (Residence Hall Handbook #RHP). One special circumstance is living within a 50-mile radius. In my interview with Lee Ann I asked if she thought she would stay in the dorms her sophomore year or move back home since she was within 50 miles. She replied, "I'm not sure; it's too early to tell. I enjoy being on my own, so I really don't want to move back home."

After talking to my peers, I found that most people enjoy dorm life. The requirement of living on campus is not such a big deal. They made more positive points about living in a dorm room, and the negative remarks were mostly about college in general. I do think that most freshmen stay in dorms more specifically for the social aspect and because it is a requirement, but not so much for the academic purpose like John Henry Newman would expect.

"Collegiate Life: An Obituary," describes John Henry Cardinal Newman's idea of a university that was a community in itself. He believed that students and teachers should commit their time to their school and studies. He envisioned a college campus to be like a large family where everyone knew each other and spent time together. Newman's idea has been picked up over the years. Living on campus provides students with the learning tools they need to help them achieve their education (Cureton and Levine 295). I think most colleges envision the same as Newman, as far as bringing students together on campus to excel academically, but college students have a much different view of their "Western Experience," meaning they want to take advantage of being out on their own.

Garrison, the author of "Why am I in college," suggests that a college's purpose is way more than to educate a student academically. He states that their real business is to teach college students personal growth, to be aware of themselves, to participate in society, and learn to appreciate different cultures and values. He also believes that learning and growing are synonyms. Garrison explains, "The college exists to help you learn how to think for yourself and how to use the tools of thinking in a grown-up, morally responsible, and socially effective way " (323).
While Levine and Cureton also state that student affairs officers describe students as loners more often now than in the past (298), I argue that most students do not want to be alone when they move off to college. Most people rely on a roommate for moral support and need them there to be their comfort zone away from home. Levine and Cureton's study compared to my survey produced opposite results. From my study I can conclude that Western's freshmen are anxious and excited about meeting other people. They want to go out and get involved and they enjoy attending campus activities.

From gathering research from different perspectives, I did find a common similarity. Everyone seems to agree that living on campus enhances the college experience. You are given the opportunity to meet a lot of new people which helps a large college seem much smaller and family oriented, like Newman envisioned.

While there were similarities, I also found differences. The idea of a college campus being a "living and learning" environment, in terms of academics, is not the common belief of the students; instead, they considered "living and learning" in terms of social and personal experience. College students' initial reason to stay on campus seems to be because it allows them the chance to be on their own and to be in the middle of all the action and social activities, such as parties, sports events, campus speakers, etc.; being able to grow and mature just comes as a bonus.
Basically, I have decided dorm life helps and serves as an aid in your transition into adulthood. Being on campus with other freshmen helps in the growing and maturing process. Before I moved into the dorms, I relied a lot more on my parents than I thought. If money ever became an issue, my parents would be there to spare me a few dollars; now I am trying to balance a job with school and cheerleading, so I can prove I am responsible and capable of making it on my own. There are so many obstacles college freshmen are faced with that they are forced to become more independent. Now that I am living on my own (with no parents) I must take responsibility for myself, but also enjoy college.
So, is dorm life part of the "Western Experience?" Based on the information I have found, dorm life is very much so a part of the "Western Experience" and I, as a college freshman, am taking great advantage of it. From another perspective Lee Ann Lowery, WKU freshman, felt the same way. Her response was, "Yes, dorm life is worth my college experience because it gives me a chance to be more independent and make my own decisions."

For many, college will be about memories, making lasting friendships, and getting an education. Not one of these alone can make up the "Western Experience," just like you cannot have a cake just by adding sugar. You have to have all the components, which include dorm life, to be able to say you experienced college at Western to its fullest!

Works Cited

Cureton, Jeanette & Arthur Levine. "Collegiate Life: An Obituary." Composing a Civic Life. Eds. Michael Berndt & Amy Muse. New York: Person/Longman, 2004. 295-302.

Garrison, Roger. "Why am I in College?" Composing a Civic Life. Eds. Michael Berndt & Amy Muse. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2004. 317-324.

Lowery, Lee Ann. Personal interview. 13 Sept. 2004.

Residence Hall Handbook homepage. Western Kentucky U. 11 Sept. 2004.
http://www.wku.edu/housing/HandBook/Residence_hall_handbook.html#RHP.