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Dorm Life in the US vs Europe: What Exchange Students Don't Expect

Started by OliviaOxford · 14 janvier 2026 · 10 replies · 📖 Read as Guide
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OliviaOxford
British student who spent a year at University of Michigan
Joined: Jun 2021 Posts: 199
14 janvier 2026 #1
I went from a single studio in Oxford to a shared double at the University of Michigan and the culture shock was REAL. Meanwhile my American roommate's friend did the reverse and was equally confused. Posting a full comparison because I keep seeing the same surprised reactions from exchange students in both directions.

Pour aller plus loin, découvrez destinations dog-friendly en France.

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MikeFromMichigan
American student, hosted European exchange students
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 33
January 17, 2026#2
My German exchange roommate was genuinely shocked that we shared a room. He asked if it was a temporary arrangement. Nope, welcome to America. By month two he loved it though.
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CamilleDuval
French student, exchange at UCLA
Joined: Jan 2019Posts: 128
January 20, 2026#3
The meal plan blew my mind. After two years of eating pasta in my CROUS studio, walking into a dining hall with 8 food stations felt like a hotel. The cost is insane though.
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AidanDublin
Irish student, year at Boston College
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 201
January 23, 2026#4
The RA system is the thing I found hardest to adjust to. In Dublin nobody checks on you. At Boston College my RA knocked on my door weekly to see how I was doing. Sweet but very different.
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JessicaBoston
American, exchange semester at University of Amsterdam
Joined: Feb 2020Posts: 73
January 26, 2026#5
The cooking learning curve is REAL. I arrived in Amsterdam having never cooked anything more complicated than microwave popcorn. First week I burned rice twice. By month three I was making risotto. Growth happens.
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BackpackerJake
American, exchange at University of Edinburgh
Joined: Jul 2019Posts: 22
January 29, 2026#6
The kitchen as social hub thing is accurate. My best nights in Edinburgh were cooking dinner with flatmates and talking for hours. Never would have happened in an American dining hall where you eat and leave.
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NatalieVancouver
Canadian perspective, exchange at TU Munich
Joined: Apr 2022Posts: 111
February 01, 2026#7
Canadian dorms are somewhere in between. We have single rooms more often than the US but we still have RAs and meal plans at some schools. Munich was maximum independence and I loved it.
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WanderlustEmma
American, studied in both UK and France
Joined: Feb 2020Posts: 157
February 05, 2026#8
Did a semester in London and a semester in Lyon. UK halls are closer to American style with more social structure. French CROUS is full independence. Both were great but very different experiences.
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RyanToronto
Canadian, exchange at University of Michigan
Joined: May 2023Posts: 160
February 09, 2026#9
The quiet hours enforcement surprised me. I got a written warning for playing guitar at 10:15 PM on a Tuesday. In Toronto nobody would have said anything before midnight. Different expectations entirely.
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SarahStudiesAbroad
Study abroad advisor
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 169
February 12, 2026#10
I share this comparison with every student going in either direction. The housing shock is the number one complaint I hear in the first month. Setting expectations before departure eliminates 80% of the anxiety.
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OliviaOxford
Author, back in the UK now
Joined: Jun 2024Posts: 161
February 15, 2026#11
Update from back home: I genuinely miss the American dorm social energy. My Oxford room is quiet and private and I have total freedom. But I miss leaving my door open and having random conversations at midnight.
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