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Many colleges offer both same sex residence halls as well as college coed dorms where guys and girls live together on the same floor. If you’re not sure if coed housing is right for you, this list of pros and cons will help you make the decision as you weigh in the advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of College Coed Dorms
More Social Interaction: When there are many people living on a floor that are of the opposite sex it presents many more opportunities to meet new people and be socially involved with others. If you’re going to college as a single guy or girl, this can greatly increase your odds of meeting someone new.
More Housing Options: Most campuses offer a larger variety of student housing for mixed sex residence halls than they do for same sex ones. You may have better chances to get the location or the amenities you want.
Less Rules: While all dormitories and residence halls will have sets of rules to make the living experience safe and fun for everyone, in general the rules of a coed hall are a little more lenient. For example, in many all female halls, there may be rules that no guys are allowed in after 10 pm. If you’re a night owl and have friends of the opposite sex, this could present a problem to some. If you’d rather be sleeping or studying, then you may want to choose a same sex hall since the noise levels will likely be considerably less.
Cons and Disadvantages of Coed Dorm Living
Immature/Rude Behavior: While hopefully you won’t find too many people who are immature and rude at your campus school, unfortunately in many student housing facilities it is a common occurrence. People may say things that are suggestive, offensive, or insulting not because they don’t like you, but just because they haven’t reached the level of maturity to resist it. If you’re easily bothered by these types of things, it may be better to wait until you’re in your second or third year of school and the students will be a lot less likely to act immaturely.
Lack of Privacy: If the thought of walking down the hallway without makeup and your hair dripping wet coming out of the shower bothers you in front of people of the opposite sex, you may also not feel the most comfortable in a coed dorm room. You’ll also likely see many other people walking around in their underwear or bathrobes which could also make some people feel uncomfortable.
May Be Harder to Study: Some people go to school to study and learn, others go to socialize. If you’re goal is to study and learn, you may find it difficult to concentrate in a coed dorm that is often filled with people yelling at each other across the hall or if your room mate constantly has people over. For some this may be a little too distracting and it could have a huge impact on your grades. The good news is you can always find other places to do your studying and college work such as a library or computer lab.
Weighing the pros and cons and advantages and disadvantages of living in a college coed dorm room is important before making a final decision on what student housing options you would prefer. Everyone will have individual likes and dislikes and it mostly will be up to your own personal decision, not what friends, family, or others think.
Do you have any thoughts on living in a college coed dorm? Share your thoughts below!