Part Two

Another interesting event that took place in the dorms was the beginning of the semester Community Living Agreement meeting with the RA.  7 people showed up for the meeting, and one left immediately because it was her Birthday and she was too drunk.  Many of the rules applied to shower etiquette, and nothing much in way of a better community.  And there wasn't any rules to create a better community agreement or a way to hold anyone accountable. The rules included (p.51):

• Keep hair off the shower walls
• Keep doors open while you're chillin'
• Sleepovers and parties on the hall are cool
• Yell "flushing" if there's someone in the shower
• no writing on the bathroom stall walls
• Say "hi" to people to be friendly

As the semester went on, Rebekah never once heard anyone yell "flushing", or seen any hall parties.  She then goes on to talk about how different the layouts of dorms are becoming.  In the past, dorms used to be about community and sharing.  now, new dorms are being built so that only 4 people are sharing a space with many more amenities than before.  Everything seems to be going from community based, to individual based.  One of her greatest surprises was on Super Bowl Sunday.  There were posters everywhere in the hall announcing a big party in the lounge, and they even brought in 2 big screens.  But when the day came, only herself and one other person could be found in the lounge.  When she walked the halls, she noticed that many people were watching the game in their own rooms, alone.  What happened to social interaction??

AnyU's Real Community: The Ego-Centered Network

It seems that many students have lost touch with what community really means.  When Rebekah questioned a few students if they felt they had community, they answered yes.  But, what they meant by this was that they have a close group of friends and social networks.  This was evident by the many cell phone conversations one could here while walking to and from class.  And, when watching the roads near campus, you could tell when classes let out.  She always wondered why there was so much traffic on campus, when the students could only park in the lot near their dorm.  But, every day, when classes let out, there was an increase in traffic.  The reason?  There were personal relationships formed for dropping and picking up passengers.  Incredible.  Others taking time out of their day to pick you up so you don't have to walk.  

Who Eats with Whom: A Study of Student Dining

Another big shocker, many students don't eat in the dining hall, they go to their rooms to eat alone, or meet a friend outside.  She found that of the students who did stay in the dining hall, there was little if any diversity.  The results were complicated, so I'll let you read the book to find out more.  Basically, it was rare to find a table of color with only one white-person.  But, there were many tables of white students, and one person of color.