When colleges and universities decide to implement all-female dorms, it’s usually an attempt to solve some sort of problem. An all-female dorm was created to help women focus on their academics without the distraction of boys, or in response to complaints about too many guys on campus accused of treating girls poorly.
Regardless of the reason behind creating an all-female dorm, female students need to know the pros and cons of living in one to make informed decisions about where to live.
The Pros Of An All-Female Dorm
Once you get past the obvious that living in an all-female dorm such as those offered by Colonial-house.com means sharing your space with only girls. Here are seven of the benefits to consider:
1. High Level Of Privacy
The first obvious benefit of living in an all-female dorm is the high level of privacy it offers. In a standard co-ed dorm, girls have to share rooms with one or more other people, and bathroom facilities are usually shared as well. In an all-female dorm, everything from the living space to the bathrooms is private and only available to the girls who reside there.
Living in an all-female dorm means having your own room, which brings all of the privacy that comes with that space. Your roommate will only be another girl, so there’ll never be an unplanned boy/girl sleepover situation where you end up stuck staying in a common area. At the same time, intimate activity goes on behind closed doors.
2. Fewer Distractions, Greater Academic Opportunities
A common complaint among female students living in dormitories is that boys distract them from their studies. While the reasons behind this distraction may vary, it often comes down to simple academic performance.
Colleges and universities implement all-female dorms to ensure that the residents can focus on their studies without being distracted by boys or other students who may hurt their academic performance.
Even if you don’t think of boys as distractions, living in an all-female dorm ensures that the opposite sex won’t tempt you, and you can remain focused on your studies. An all-female dorm can undoubtedly help you unlock your academic potential in this scenario.
Schools implementing all-female dorms aren’t just based on complaints about boys distracting their female students. They also do so because of a perceived lack of opportunity for girls to pursue higher education. In situations where colleges and universities feel pressured to balance the number of men and women on campus, an all-female dorm can solve this problem.
By creating all-female dorms, colleges and universities hope that it’ll encourage more female students to pursue their academic goals. It’s because there are fewer distractions and women will be better able to pursue an education with less competition from the opposite sex.
3. Opportunity To Meet New Girls
Meeting new friends can be constructive when you’re a freshman and don’t know anyone on campus yet. An all-female dorm can help you look for a new group of friends and meet girls you might not otherwise have.
As an incoming student, looking forward to living in an all-female dorm means that you’ll already have at least one group of people with whom you’ll instantly have something in common your gender. It makes the transition to living on their own much easier for many students because they’ll know at least one person right off the bat.
4. A Deeper Sense Of Security
Traditionally, women have often been the target of sexual harassment and assault when in public. Unfortunately, this is still an issue that many female students face on college campuses today. Because of this unfortunate reality, residents in all-female dorms feel safer than they might otherwise because there are no boys present to act up to them.
An all-female living environment can certainly provide female students with a sense of security, which is beneficial for those who feel threatened by men.
5. A Good Opportunity For Self-Discovery
Another benefit of living in an all-female dorm is the opportunity it provides to learn more about themselves and their place in society. When you live with other women, you can better understand your own gender identity and how you relate to other members of your community.
The fact that an all-female dorm removes any possibility of competition with boys means that you can simply focus on yourself and the friends with whom you live.
Since living in an all-female dorm offers young women a chance to interact only with other members of their gender, it’s an excellent opportunity to express their own identity freely or learn more about the opposite sex without the influence of boys.
6. An Environment That Promotes Independence And Maturity
One perk of living in a co-ed dorm is the opportunity it provides for residents to learn how to work with both men and women. Since college campuses are full of both genders, learning to interact with people from all walks of life can be a valuable lesson that prepares students for their futures after graduation.
However, this idea is somewhat skewed because some college students aren’t yet fully mature adults. For many students, it’s a challenge to get along with other members of the opposite sex while they’re still in an environment where everyone’s maturity levels are all over the place.
An all-female dorm is a good choice for any young woman who wants to learn how to be independent and interact with others her age without worrying about men’s influence.
7. Less Sexual Tension
One problem that can arise when boys live in the same dorm as girls is the inevitable competition. For women interested in finding a boyfriend during their college stay, there’s always the possibility of feeling like they need to impress the men around them or battle with other females for male attention.
Since an all-female dorm removes this possibility, it’s a good choice for any student who would rather not have to bicker over men with their female peers. In an all-female space, you can avoid the annoying competition that comes from living with boys and simply focus on schoolwork, friends, and other aspects of life without having to worry about the opposite sex.
The Cons Of An All-Female Dorm
Of course, there are also drawbacks to living in an all-female dorm that must be considered. Some of these disadvantages include:
1. An Environment That Is Not As Socially Engaging
A major downside to living in an all-female dorm is that it can be somewhat isolating. Since you don’t have any men around, you also don’t have any friends of the opposite sex. It often leads to a lack of social engagement because women who live in co-ed dorms tend to get along with the men around them.
When you live in an all-female dorm, it can be difficult to make friends outside of your community because there are fewer opportunities for social interaction. Therefore, all-female dorms aren’t ideal for students who want to meet people from all walks of life or develop friendships that span gender boundaries.
2. No Boys To Help With Heavy Chores
One issue that arises when you live in an all-female dorm is that you’ll have to do all of your share of chores without any help from men. Since there are no boys around, it can be more difficult to get rooms cleaned or tasks completed because you don’t have members of the opposite sex to pitch in on duties.
Another reason this is a problem is that it reinforces the idea that women have to take care of everything independently, and that may include some heavy lifting of furniture and appliances.
3. A Less Diverse Group Of Friends
One thing that can be difficult about living in an all-female dorm is that most of your friends will be the same gender as you. If you’re a gender-fluid woman who wants to explore both sides of the spectrum, it may not be easy for you to find others with similar interests if they’re all of the same gender.
This lack of diversity can make you feel more isolated than when you live in a co-ed dorm because all of your friends will be of the same gender. If having people similar to you is important, all-female dorm life may not be ideal.
4. Fewer Opportunities To Learn From Men
One of the most valuable experiences that college has to offer is the chance to meet new people who are different from you. If you’re a woman who wants to learn more about the opposite sex, an all-female dorm may not be the best choice for you.
Since men and women will never pass each other in an all-female dorm building, it can be tough to get into contact with them or learn from them. If you live in a co-ed dorm, you’ll have the opportunity to work with members of the opposite sex and perhaps even get into a romantic relationship.
5. Fewer Opportunities To Date
Since men aren’t allowed in all-female dorms, it’s more difficult for women who live there to find love. If you’re a woman who wants to meet other people or date during your college years, you’ll need members of the opposite sex to help facilitate that process. With an all-female dorm, however, this is unlikely to happen.
Some women find they have a better social life and more opportunities for romantic encounters when they live in co-ed dorms because of the presence of men. If you want to date during college or meet new people, an all-female dorm may not be as beneficial as a co-ed building.
6. Feeling Left Out Of Major Events
Another issue with an all-female dorm is that women may feel left out of major events. Since no men are allowed in this living situation, women might not have opportunities to participate in activities or traditions that are only open to members of the opposite sex.
Certain events are particularly important to participate in if you’re a college student, such as sports games and mixers. However, if you live in an all-female dorm building, these kinds of events might not be accessible to you.
7. Sense Of Isolation
Another issue that women sometimes encounter when living in all-female dorms is the idea of feeling isolated from those around them. Since no men are allowed on any floor, it can be difficult to have close relationships with others if they don’t feel comfortable talking about specific issues or opening up completely.
Women sometimes complain about this lack of trust and the difficulty of forming genuine friendships when living in all-female dorm buildings. If you can’t open up to other people or feel comfortable discussing difficult topics with them, an all-female facility may not be your best choice.
8. Less Freedom To Explore One’s Sexuality
One of the known reasons women choose to live in co-ed dorms is that it’ll give them more freedom and opportunities to explore their sexuality. Since men are present, it’s easier for young women to meet others who share similar interests and form genuine relationships with them.
If you’re a woman who wants to learn more about your sexuality, you’ll have a better chance of doing this in a co-ed dorm since there are more options for you to facilitate the learning process.
Final Thoughts
When choosing whether or not to live in a co-ed or an all-female dorm, each student must weigh the pros and cons. If you only want to live with women, there are some drawbacks to consider, as well as some advantages.
All women should strive for independence and learn to be self-sufficient an all-female dorm can help achieve this. However, students who want to be surrounded by people of all genders should choose an environment that will give them more opportunities to interact with others regardless of gender.
When you live in an all-female dorm, it’s important to remember that the lack of men isn’t necessarily a positive or negative quality, depending on your preferences and what you need to get out of your college experience.
Evaluate the pros and cons before you choose where to live in school to ensure that regardless of if it’s co-ed or all-female, you’re surrounded by friends who understand what you want out of life, both academically and socially.
It’s noteworthy to remember that regardless of whether you live in a co-ed or an all-female dorm, you’ll be surrounded by friends who want to support and help you get the most out of college. Live somewhere that makes you happy don’t settle for less than what you deserve just because it’s easier.