College Dorm Showers

Communal college dorm showers, shared laundry facilities, roommates and a floor full of other freshmen; these are all things that await first time college students living on campus. Campus living is a learning experience. It’s time where you are truly living amongst your peers, sharing the same experiences, the same anticipations and yes, the same fears.

Check out our list of college dorm necessities to be prepared for school.

You may dread that first trip to the college dorm showers. Communal showers offer little in the way of privacy. Most students will go to the showers in a robe or a towel, strip off, shower and come back out in a towel or a robe to dry off and dress in their rooms. Each dorm is different and some floors may only have a few showers, so etiquette is important to keep in mind.

• Limited shower space means that you may have to wait to shower. Be patient or try to schedule shower time for when fewer people need it. You may have to shower at night before sleeping or shower very early in the morning.
• Bring your own shower supplies. You’ll want a small bag or carryall that is easy to hang up where you can reach your soap, shampoo and conditioner. If someone asks you to borrow your shampoo or conditioner, feel free to share. Soap bars should not be shared for sanitary reasons, however.
• Hot water and time are commodities; don’t shower for 30 minutes. Ten minutes is the maximum amount of reasonable time you should take in the shower.
• Don’t stare. You’re going to be showering with people of all shapes and sizes. Be respectful. You’ll notice after the first few days that everyone is just like you and is in a hurry to get clean and get moving.
• Wear slip on, water proof shoes. Crocs are great for this as are flip flops. Unfortunately communal showers may also mean communal foot fungus. So protect your feet. You can wash and soap them and rinse them off and slide back into the shoe without ever touching the floor. Be sure to scrub each foot thoroughly as most people don’t remember to ‘wash’ their feet. Also wash your "shower shoes" periodically.
• Save shaving for the sink or the room. Shaving can be a time consuming process whether it’s your face, your underarms or your legs; don’t waste shower time on them.

When living in student housing, you may want to shave at the sink to save shower time.

When you’re packing for school, be sure to pick up a caddy or carry bag that you can carry your toiletries in. You’ll want something for easy storage in your room and that you can carry easily back and forth from the showers.

Bring your own towels. A good rule of thumb is to bring a minimum of two bath towels (but you’ll likely want three). Flip flops, Crocs or other light footwear is absolutely necessary. Be sure to dry them thoroughly between each use.

Bring a hand mirror. If you don’t have a mirror in your room, it’s ideal to have a hand mirror where you can do a quick brush or touch up.

Keep track of your toiletries and keep them clean. You do not want to share anything like a wash cloth, soap bar, hairbrush, toothbrush or razor during your dorm time. Be sure that all shower items, including towels, are dried thoroughly between each use to avoid mold and other fungus.

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