Noise
Unless you’re on a designated quiet floor, the dorm is probably going to be very noisy. There’s always a lot going on: blaring music, noisy games, television, people laughing and talking, and general mayhem in the halls. Many people leave their doors open so everyone mingles in and out of the rooms. Although most dorms insist on quiet after ten or eleven at night, your roommate might get on the phone with her best friend back home and start an hour-long conversation about chronic acne. Or, your roommate might be engaged in a hook-up session with his “girlfriend” of the week.
If you’re trying to study and you’re distracted by noise, pack up your study materials and head to the library or computer lab. Most dorms have quiet study rooms as well, but the quiet part isn’t always enforced.
If you’re trying to sleep or study, consider a portable white-noise machine. There are small units on the market that you can put in your pocket or under your pillow and listen to with earphones. It’ll drown out noise with the sound of rain, a babbling brook, or any number of other nature sounds. Of course, some people find these noises annoying too. Can you study or sleep to music? Try that. Soft earplugs aren’t noise-proof, but they do block a considerable amount of background noise. If you snore or are the noisy one in your room, offer to buy your roommate some earplugs, and do your best to be considerate. Just because your folks aren’t screaming for you to turn the music down doesn’t mean that you are entitled to blast it as loud as you want.