When people think of dorms, shared living spaces typically found on college campuses, often used by students and sometimes rented by young professionals. Also known as student housing, they're one of the most common ways people live in cities without buying property. But dorms today aren’t just rowdy college rooms with bunk beds and communal bathrooms. They’ve evolved into managed shared accommodations—sometimes luxury, sometimes basic—that cater to students, interns, trainees, and even remote workers looking for low-commitment housing.
Dorms relate closely to shared accommodation, any living setup where multiple people rent space in the same building, often sharing kitchens, bathrooms, or common areas. Unlike traditional rentals, dorms usually come with fixed rules, scheduled cleaning, and sometimes even meal plans. They’re also tied to roommates, the people you live with, who can make or break your experience. A good roommate can turn a cheap room into a supportive home. A bad one? That’s where stress, conflict, and even legal headaches start.
Many of the posts in this collection don’t mention dorms directly, but they cover the same underlying issues: shared ownership, co-living risks, rent disputes, and how people manage living with others under pressure. Whether it’s the hidden costs of shared housing, how to handle noisy neighbors, or why people stay in places they hate just because they can’t afford to leave—these are all dorm life problems in disguise. The same rules apply whether you’re in a university dorm, a converted office building turned into flats, or a rented house with five people in three bedrooms.
You’ll find real stories here about what happens when things go wrong in shared spaces—how disputes start, how rent gets split unfairly, and why some people end up paying more for less. There’s no magic formula to avoid all the mess, but knowing what to ask before you sign, understanding your rights as a resident, and recognizing red flags early can save you months of frustration. This isn’t about luxury apartments or high-end rentals. It’s about the everyday reality of living shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers, and how to survive it without losing your sanity.
