United Ministry at USC

First year focus

The following bits of advice provided by a recent Trojan Alum

Tips on what to buy for your dorm/apartment

Now that you’re in your dorm, you might want to decorate to make your place feel more like home. Last year when I was adding decorum, as I like to call it, I initially thought I was interior decorating a room in my house. Then when food spilled on my chair, I realized that I should buy cheaper, easier to clean fabrics and things for my desk. You can go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond,Targets, and Ikea for inexpensive yet functional and decorative items for your room. It might not look like you’ll be able to fit a lot on your side of the cubby hole, but you’d be surprised. Don’t pack your room from home, but do get creative. A girl on my floor decorated her room with fake flowers running along all the walls. Plants, fake and alive, are a good way to brighten up the drab white of the dorm rooms. The guys liked to put up posters. The vendors on campus in front of bookstore are a good start. However, if you want to buy from them do it fast. They only stay out the first couple of weeks of a new semester.

You can also move your furniture around to add space and feng shui. If you are cool with your roommate, bunking your beds frees up space in the room for televisions and dressers. If you live in an apartment, Dollar Stores, Big Lots, and Wal-Marts are good stores to buy inexpensive utensils, appliances, plates and forks. And since you can’t live on EVK alone, I would suggest buying snacks for your room. The Food 4 Less down Jefferson has good prices. If you live in an apartment or want to buy in bulk Costco is another option. Make sure to span out your food, you’ll save money and avoid gaining the dreaded freshman 15.

Tips on Getting along with your roommate

School hasn’t been in session that long and move in day is only a couple of weeks removed, so most of you are probably still in the honeymoon period with your roommates. For some this period might last all year; for others your roommate will do something that really sets you off, if they haven’t already. My best advice- you’ve probably heard already from your R.A.- is to be open and honest with each other. Having a roommate is just one type of relationship, and for it to go smoothly, its good to keep to this mantra. Let them know if something they do bothers you, don’t let it fester up and then explode at them later. But be considerate of each other, and don’t let small stuff really get to you. Everyone has their own set of things that irk especially them. Let your roommate know about them ahead of time. This will prevent a conflict before it starts.

Also, take you roommate agreement forms seriously and stick to them. If you don’t want your roommate using your radio, put it on the form. Don’t try to be overly nice in the beginning about things you know will upset you in the future. In bad times remember that you only have to room with this person for 9 months.