Many students choose to live on campus while attending college. Living in a dorm room allows more opportunities to interact with other students, easier access to college facilities like libraries, and may reduce costs such as travel. Some schools even require freshmen to stay in the dorms. Although residence hall living has advantages, it also has disadvantages, one of which is dealing with the noise level. The numbers of students living in small spaces in dorm rooms with varying schedules can result in a lot of noise. You can reduce the amount of sound you hear from others and reduce your chances of disturbing other students with some simple modifications.
Floor
Carpet greatly reduces the amount of noise not only from foot traffic but other sounds since it absorbs sound waves. If your dorm room isn’t carpeted, use a throw rug or small piece of carpet to lay on the floor, even under your bed. Residence hall rooms are typically small, so you shouldn’t have to pay much. You may even be able to get some scraps or remnants from people doing remodeling projects or from home improvement stores for a low cost or perhaps even free.
Decorative rugs also help reduce noise in and out of the room. Heavier products will absorb more sound, but rugs are more easily portable and can last for years if taken care of.
Windows
Much of the noise in a room comes through the window, particularly if your residence hall is older and so has windows that don’t seal well. Hanging curtains over the windows will reduce noise from passing traffic as well as voices and weather sounds in your dorm room. Hanging curtains also has the benefit of allowing you to add a personal touch to your room that may otherwise not feel very homey. Tension rods like those that hold shower curtains are available for regular windows, so you don’t have to mount brackets to hang curtains in the windows.
Walls
You can also hang curtains, rugs, tapestries or blankets along the walls and even the ceiling to reduce noise. You can choose pieces with colors and patterns that make the room more attractive. The difficulty may be in attaching the pieces. Many schools don’t allow students to put nails in the walls or ceiling or otherwise damage the sheetrock. If this is the case, you may need to find long tension rods, put furniture or other items up that you can connect tension rods to, or use easily-removable hanging products that won’t damage plaster and paint.
Furniture also helps reduce noise. If you have the space, try placing a bookshelf against the wall. The heavy bindings and paper will absorb some of the noise. Other furniture such as dressers serves the same purpose, so consider placing your bed away from the walls if your room is large enough to accommodate other pieces.
Equipment
You may also consider purchasing specialized equipment to help block outside sounds while you are in your dorm room. White noise machines create a more comfortable environment for some people to study in since the sound seems less disruptive. Noise-canceling headphones may come in handy not only in the residence hall but also the library or even in testing situations if extraneous noises bother you.
Hints
Be sure to check the requirements about hanging products on the walls before you do so since different schools have different regulations regarding residence hall living. If the noise level in your dorm is beyond what seems appropriate, talk to your residence hall director, resident assistant or housing director. Getting used to living in such close proximity is one of the challenges of college, but it should not be over the top.
References:
Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. “How to Soundproof Your Home.” Apartmenttherapy.com.
Harvey Mudd College. “Dorm FAQs.” Hmc.edu.
