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The Dos and Don’ts of Dating Within Your Dorm

So, you think the cute X-Box-addicted guy from down the hall is checking you out? Before you ignite the relationship by sharing some of your grandma’s chocolate chip cookies (works every time), here are some “dormance” tips to consider.

DON’T: Jump Right In
“Don’t tie yourself down too early,” says Connie Carson, executive director of residential services at Wake Forest University. “The first few weeks of school are critical for forming friendships and learning the social scene. And what if things don’t work out with the guy?”

Form a friendship and really get to know the guy first, because romance in the dorm tends to go at warp speed. “It’s easy to rush into things because there’s no parental control or curfew,” says Anna Maslova, a former RA at the University of Texas. “You should know your boundaries.”

DO: Keep the Mystery
Dating a guy down the hall is different than dating the guy from across town: You’ll see each other at your best and worst times. “I woke up my boyfriend one Sunday morning, after he had been drinking a lot the night before,” says Amanda Mello, a sophomore at Colby College about her former five-month dorm boyfriend. “He peed all over the bed. It was gross.”

If you want to keep up your mysterious side, it’s best to establish times when you want to see each other. Be careful about spending too much time together, because you might miss out on the “little things” that make a relationship special. “You miss all the formalities,” says Amanda. “When we had formal dances, he would just walk down from the hall and knock on my door. It wasn’t that special.”

DON’T: Be the Floor Whore
How can you possibly choose from all these boys? No need to be picky, you think, I’ll just date them all. But remember: Boys gossip, too, even if it’s over Natty Light and cold pizza. Your reputation as being the “floor whore” will spread faster than your newly acquired STD’s, and you’ll alienate your girlfriends and future potential dating partners. This title might only last a year, but odds are that you’ll transform into the “frat rat” next year.