Louisville Freshmen Face Financial and Social Costs of Dorm Living
Students at the University of Louisville report that living alone requires a second job, while sharing rooms demands constant negotiation over daily habits.
By Layla Edwards ·
University of Louisville freshmen are splitting the difference between privacy and social support as they settle into campus housing. Natalie Caruso, a freshman living alone, works 40 hours a week while taking 18 credit hours. She returns to an empty apartment each day to manage her own budget, groceries, and household chores.
Caruso grew up in a household of nine people. She said it was important for her to experience living completely alone. However, the independence comes with a financial burden. Rent, utilities, and other expenses fall on her alone, requiring extra income that is difficult for a full-time student to secure.
"It's a little isolating at times," Caruso said. "I take 18 credit hours, work 40 hours a week and come home to nobody."
Sarah Frier, a freshman in Kurz Hall, took the opposite approach. She shares a room with a roommate she met at the start of the semester. Frier said she arrived at college knowing nobody. Her roommate has become a built-in best friend, helping her navigate the first year of independent living.
Living with others offers a social safety net. Roommates can attend events together and introduce each other to new people. This arrangement can make it easier to participate in campus life during stressful periods of the semester.
However, communal living requires constant negotiation. Frier noted that she and her roommate initially got upset over small issues like a full trash can or clothes on the floor. Differences in cleanliness, sleeping schedules, and noise levels can create tension. Students who need quiet time must establish boundaries within a shared space.
"Communication genuinely is the key to having roommates," Frier said. "It took getting used to."
