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Having a first-year roommate is an infamous part of the college experience. I heard a story from almost every adult in my life about who they got saddled with the summer before I left to attend Colorado State University.

While I did hear a fair share of sweet or funny stories, others were downright horrifying. And in the end, I was left wondering why students are made to endure such bizarre living conditions.

There are undoubtedly benefits to staying in the dorms. For starters, there is the obvious convenience of their proximity to classes. Who wouldn’t appreciate the option to hit snooze five times and still make it to their lecture with a few minutes to spare?

“Many students have not yet developed the communication skills that would allow them reach constructive resolutions to conflicts with roommates, and not everyone is mature enough to begin advancing in that area. Additionally, the dorms aren’t the only way for individuals to work on collaboration throughout college.”

In addition, resident halls are an excellent transitional space for young adults who aren’t used to living on their own. There’s a comfort to being surrounded by others going through similar experiences, and the added support provided by resident assistants and other staff members can do a lot to ease the transition.

This being said, CSU’s student body is incredibly diverse, and it is impossible for the dorms to meet the needs of everyone. Some students may have already reached the point where they want to take on more responsibility in terms of their living situation, while others still need more time before they’re ready to fly solo.

Similarly, everyone requires a different level of privacy. One person may not spare a thought about living in such proximity to someone else, but for others, it could feel like the end of the world. Despite the numerous apprehensions I had at the start of the semester, I’ve enjoyed living on campus so far. But this hasn’t been the case for everyone in my hall.

It can be said that students will learn vital skills from experiencing dorm life. It’s like fighting with a sibling — the conflicts that roommates experience will help them with interpersonal problem-solving going forward. However, many students have never cohabitated with a stranger for a long period of time. And the day-to-day friction that can arise from these living situations can add a lot of stress to an already difficult transition.

Many students have not yet developed the communication skills that would allow them reach constructive resolutions to conflicts with roommates, and not everyone is mature enough to begin advancing in that area. Additionally, the dorms aren’t the only way for individuals to work on collaboration throughout college.

There is an abundance of opportunities for students to learn about conflict resolution, such as disagreements on group projects. These situations grant experience much closer to real-life scenarios in the professional world without compromising the comfort of a student’s personal space.

As incoming class sizes continue to increase, having all first-year rooms on campus may not be sustainable for universities either. In the fall 2022 semester, 400-500 CSU students started out temporarily housed in a hotel due to a lack of space in residence halls. This negatively affects upperclassmen and transfer students as well. For those who were not able to fill out the designated returning student housing application, a spot in a residence hall is not guaranteed. In the end, it’s a lose-lose situation.

There are many of factors that go into a successful transition to college, and balancing the combination can be overwhelming. Each individual will thrive in a set of circumstances specific to them. Students should be able to pick the living environment that will allow them to be most successful while they undertake such a challenge.

Reach Hayley Bisant at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.