Freshman Dorm Etiquette Has Been Thrown Out the Door

(Cover Photo Courtesy of Sophie Hunter)

For freshmen, settling into college is one of the scariest things. It is a brand-new environment, and you are likely living with someone you have never met before and having to settle in for a whole year of school. Some people need a lot of time and patience, while others settle in comfortably, some would say too comfortably. Despite specific rules and etiquette put in place across dorm halls especially when it comes to quiet hours and sanitation, some students choose to disregard them. What exactly is going on in the freshman dorms, and why does it seem like almost no one cares?

With the school year starting, students tend to become acquainted with one another, especially with their dormmates learning to live with each other. There’s nothing wrong with hanging out with people, but it becomes a problem late at night after the allotted quiet hours. At Wallace, especially for those who face the courtyard, we often hear groups either talking loudly or blasting music. For those of us who face the courtyard and need our windows open, it can be frustrating trying to get a good night's sleep. It is not just outside; loud conversations and music can blare through walls. If someone is trying to have an important conversation in their dorm but is too loud, people in opposing dorms may hear the conversation too. When midterms and finals come around, things will hopefully be quieter so people can focus more easily on studying.

No, your eyes do not deceive you. On the afternoon of September 19th, the Wallace Hall laundry room was covered in various clothing items that no one has claimed. It is one thing to lose a sock or two, but it becomes a larger issue when it all starts piling up with no one bothering to see if the laundry is theirs. Not only can this become a major fire-hazard, laundry left on the floor can make people can slip and fall, but it can also become a major health risk. The bacteria collecting on the left laundry pieces can cause colds and flu, coughing, nausea, and queasiness. The sign in the laundry room, explaining etiquette and overall rules of using the machines and space, has been torn off the frame and is barely hanging on now. Since this is a shared laundry room between all three freshman dorm halls in the back of the school, a notice hopefully went out about keeping the laundry room clean and keeping track of belongings.

On that same night, a mandatory meeting in Wallace was held to discuss the issues of what’s been going on. There were also mentions of letting students in from other buildings who should not have access to Wallace who have been caught ding-dong ditching dorms late into the night, along with loud talking and running in halls during quiet hours. If reported, the Campus Police are more than happy to check the outdoor security footage to catch anyone doing this and, most likely, talk to them depending on the situation.

Dirty shoes, as shown in the picture above, have been left in hallways to air out after sports practice and in general, create the worst smell you can think of. Especially when the heat turns on as it gets colder out, the smell will be more potent. As the situation was discussed, a lot of nervous looks shot across the room from people. The RA stated that the shoes can easily be stolen if they are, it will be on the person who left them out to find out who did it and get them back with Campus Safety.

Although the laundry room has been cleaned up, it may not stay that way for much longer. There are shoes still out in the hall, and there is still a lot of noise during quiet hours. It also seems like the more issues are brought to light, even more comes out after the conversation. This article only touched on Wallace Hall where I live, but it is reasonably safe to say there are plenty of similar issues in other dorms that have not publicly circulated.

Things can always improve, but they can also get worse. Now that school is in full swing, I am hoping that the stated issues in this article can be properly handled and fixed by both CA’s, the RA’s, and fellow hallmates to make Wallace a more comfortable, welcoming, and tolerable place that parents will want to visit in October.

Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion?  Let us know.  All views are welcome.  Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Dylan Hicks dhicks@student.dean.edu or Dean Daily Faculty Advisor, Professor John Rooke jrooke@dean.edu