Michelle Muth, is a sophomore at the University of Colorado. She’s a resident of Cheyenne-Arapaho, living on campus for her second year in a row. Because of financial reasons, she decided to live on campus again instead of finding a house, but is planning on finding a place off-campus next year.
Dorm Experience:
How would you compare your dorm experience from last year to this year? Better or worse?
"It’s different, I wouldn’t say better or worse. A big difference could be coming half way through the year, I think, because everybody has their friends already set up and established versus starting the year with just a bunch of freshmen wanting to meet people. Um, but another difference is when they hear that you’re a sophomore their like, 'Oh, where’d you transfer from?'
'Oh, no, I went hear last year, I know people here…'
They don’t necessarily invite you in their group as much because they’re like, 'Oh, she’s got friends. We don’t have to add her to our group or anything like that.' That’s probably the main difference."
Do you ever go with their groups to, dining or anything?
"Um, dining halls like the first week or two I’d kind of hang out with the people if they’d invite me along or anything."
House v.s. Dorms:
Would you rather be in a house or the dorms?
"I would prefer a house…you don’t have to deal with RA’s…it’s your own place, you’re in charge of it. You don’t have a community bathroom to deal with. So ya, I definitely prefer being out of the dorms, but it’s nice not having to cook and stuff. There’s a huge benefit to being in the dorms that you don’t really realize until you leave, but, overall, it’s nicer to be out I think – the freedom."
Freshmen Advice:
What advice would you give to freshmen considering staying in the dorms a second year?
"I’d say its not that bad, because you’ve got your friends from first year, most of them live off campus, and so you have your friends to go chill with off campus, or, you know, you’ve got all the places to party at if that’s what you’re worried about, and living on campus is so nice. Being on campus, I roll out of bed 20 mins before class and walk there."
That’s really interesting because from what I’m getting from you, you made it sound like you would rather live in a house, but you’re telling freshmen to consider staying in the dorms?
"Ya, looking at those two questions, I was like, 'they’re going to be kind of controversial…' Overall, leaving out just living someplace, overall I’d much rather be off campus, in my own place, but having the connection to people living off campus in their own place – it’s not that bad. Some people were like, 'You’re a sophomore in the dorms? Oh my God, doesn’t that suck?' I’m like, it’s really not that bad because I meet new people, I’ve got a new friend group, kind of, but I have my old friends too, so it’s like the best of both worlds almost, I think."
What would you say would be the bad sides of both in your opinion?
"Well, negative of living in the dorm is like, there’s no privacy, there’s no, like, if you want, like, living in the dorm can suck. I mean, people are always around you, you’ve got to deal with all this stuff, like a roommate. I mean, overall if you can get off campus, it’d be nice, but, if you’re looking at living on campus, I mean, it’s not that bad."
What would be your negative for choosing to live in a house?
"Possibly… I mean you could be looking at, like pricing and stuff like that. Because I know, I mean, like for me, the school pays financial aide guaranteed for the dorms and housing, like that’s part of it. I mean, they give me money for rent and stuff, but, it’s not like a cap or anything, there’s just, 'here’s the money, hopefully it’s enough for you.' So, for my situation that would be kind of a negative and living on campus is nicer sometimes for that. I know I’ve got that, and I know it will be paid for. I mean, someone without financial problems, I don’t really know what would be the advantage of living in the dorms."
Roommates:
What is your opinion on wanting to live with a roommate you know versus someone that you don’t? Are there advantages/disadvantages to strangers or friends?
"Well, I’ve done both. The advantages of living with somebody that you know is you already know you’ve got that connection, you don’t have to be like, 'Oh God, it’s a stranger, what if we don’t get a long?...' You know if you get along. You don’t have that worry… Meeting somebody new though, like this year, is nicer because it broadens things. You get to know people maybe you wouldn’t know or something."
Would you say you became good friends with your roommate? Or do you not really get along?
"I’ve just encountered lots of weird situations. Shes just there during the day between classes, so we get along great – we would be good friends, we were going to live together next year. I thought it was a good experience, and I like her a lot, but I just never see her, so it’s hard to become friends with somebody when you only see each other for a few hours a week."
Michelle attending one of the CU football games.
Interview:
- As I did in my previous interview, I recorded it with Michelle and transcribed our conversation in order to use her direct quotes.
- Michelle was a friend of mine from last year here at CU, and I thought her perspective would be interesting, given she is a sophomore living in the dorms not as an RA.
- I thought my interview with Michelle was very successful. She had varying opinions on the pros and cons of living in the dorms again, but overall, she feels it was a good decision.
- What I would do differently next time for an interview like this, would be to focus maybe more on her situation with having lived with a roommate last year who was a high school friend versus her situation this year where she was put with a stranger.
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