A dorm (short for dormitory) is a building where students live while attending college or boarding school. Instead of commuting from home each day, students sleep, study, and spend their free time in dorm rooms, usually sharing a room with one or more roommates.

Dorms typically have hallways lined with small bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and common areas where students can relax or study together. Living in a dorm means being surrounded by classmates day and night, which helps students make friends and feel connected to their school community. Many colleges require first-year students to live in dorms so they can adjust to college life with support nearby.

The word can also refer to the room itself. A college student might say, “Come visit me in my dorm,” when they mean their dorm room. Dorm life involves learning to share space, respect quiet hours, and get along with people who might have different habits and schedules. For many students, living in a dorm is their first experience of independence, managing their own time and responsibilities without parents around to remind them.