5 Tips To Pass Dorm Room Inspection

The common knowledge is that in college, especially freshman year, the students will partake in crazy, often illegal, activities in their quest to experience the newly found freedom away from home. Certain items used in these activities are most likely prohibited in on-campus housing and one can get in trouble for them if discovered during the few room inspections done by the RA, or the equivalent dorm hall authority. Below is a list of 5 tips to pass dorm room inspection and stay out of trouble!

1. Hide the illegal items in a closed location.

Depending on your school’s rules, simply hiding illicit items in a closet or mini-fridge will do the trick because the RA is not allowed to look into closed locations without reason!

2. Clean your room.

One thing that will make it seem like everything in your room is up to spec is cleaning your room. Since most inspections consist of a visual sweep of the room, pick up the trash, make your bed, and put away extreme clutter. The RA will do their obligatory glance and move on if there is nothing to look at.

3. Be familiar with your school’s handbook section on dorm room.

Every school provides clear guidelines on what is and isn’t allowed in a dorm room. By adhering to these rules in the first place, when selecting decorations and appliances for your room, you can avoid any run-ins when inspections come around.

4. Remove items that are not yours.

As many know, your friends tend to accidentally forget things behind after they visit and you tend to forget about said items until they ask for them weeks later. Not only will returning these items benefit your friends, but you will also be able to clear away clutter that doesn’t have a spot in your room because, well… it isn’t yours.

5. Clean the common space.

Not all freshman dorm rooms will have a common room/ space, but a lot of upperclassman housing will. This area will be the first the RA sees when they enter so it is essential to clean it when notified of an impending inspection. Though you should keep it clean anyways, as it is the first impression visitors will have of your room.