Moving into the dorms can be a little confusing for students. There are new rules that you need to follow as well as many considerations about your new routines that you will want to plan out before you move into the dorms.
You might be planning to bring a lot of your personal items and then find out that they are not allowed to be in the dorms.
Most dorms release a list of items that you can bring and things that you should leave home when you move in. Some of these items are variable, but things like candles are not allowed in any dorms in the United States.
You will need to respect these rules and plan to move in with the right items per the rules of your dorm. If you have been worried about your microwave and if you should leave it at home, this is a reasonable question to ask.
If you are ready to learn more about whether or not microwaves are allowed in dorms, read on!
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Are Microwaves Allowed in Dorms?
The answer is that yes, you will be allowed to bring a microwave into your dorm. These cooking appliances are safe to use in this kind of non—kitchen environment and you will be able to place the microwave on a shelf or window sill.
You can use it for heating water for tea or coffee, for cooking simple microwave food, and for warming up other items. This is a normally allowed item for dorm room life and many students bring their microwave along with their small fridge.
Having a microwave in your dorm room makes midnight snacks really easy as well as heating warm drinks during colder parts of the year.
Older dorms can be a little chilly sometimes as well, so you can use your microwave to heat up heat packs to keep you toasty while you study as well.
Some Considerations About Your Microwave
You should make sure that the first thing that you do is reach out to your roommate and see if they are planning to bring a microwave too.
Most dorms only allow one microwave per room, so you will need to work with your roommate to make sure that only one of you brings this appliance with them.
You will also need to be sure that your microwave meets the requirements of the dorm for safe use. It needs to be a UL-listed appliance and have a three-prong cord. You will also need to be sure that your microwave has an automatic shut-off function as well as a built-in thermal safety fuse.
These requirements are easily met by any newer microwave and you do not need to head out and get a special appliance for your dorm room.
Another consideration that is often explained to students is that strong smells can be difficult for some people that also live in the dorms, and it is recommended that you do not heat up fish and other strong-smelling food items in your dorm room.
This might make others feel sick, or in some cases, it could even lead to allergic responses in others. Always be considerate about the kinds of food that you make in your microwave in your dorm room.
Many dorms will ask you not to pop popcorn for fear of issues with fires that are caused by forgetting the popcorn in the microwave. The smell of burned popcorn can be really hard to remove from the dorm room as well.
In some dorms, you cannot open the windows, so you might be stuck with strong popcorn smells for days after you have burned popcorn in your dorm room. For this reason, this is one of the foods that is often discouraged.
Are There Microwaves For Common Use?
In dorms that do not allow microwaves in each dorm room, you will likely have access to a kitchen area that has microwaves. This is the solution offered at many of these kinds of dorms to make sure that kitchen appliances and smells are all in one location in the building.
This can be the right choice for dorms that have limited space in each room as well as older buildings that are not set up for a lot of drawing on the electrical system.
If you have to use a common-use microwave for your food heating needs, make sure that you clean up after yourself each time you spill. There is nothing more frustrating than going to use a microwave and finding that the microwave is filthy.
Be a good roommate and make sure that you take care of all of your clean-up as soon as you make a mess.
There are almost always food snacking and grab-and-go food options around campus that you will have access to when you live in the dorms. You can take advantage of these services as well if you cannot have a microwave in your dorm room.
This can be the easiest way to get food quickly when you need a little pick-me-up between meals.
Microwaves in Dorm Room Can Help With Snacks Between Meals
You might have been worried that you will get hungry when you are up studying late or that you will not have time to grab healthy meals on some of your busier days on campus.
Thankfully, a microwave in your dorm room can help you have access to healthy foods that you need to fuel your studying. You will almost always be allowed to bring a microwave into your dorm room when you move in, so you do not need to worry about food at odd hours of the day.
Make sure to check with your roommate about who should bring the microwave and then pack yours if you are the one who said they would bring this appliance on move-in day.
Pair this handy appliance with your mini-fridge and have food for any time of the day and any preference on hand.
I am Brianna, a self-published author with a passion for sharing my knowledge and expertise on various topics with people looking to find the perfect items for their needs. I love ensuring that the right informative content is available to people looking for the right information. I am an avid horseback rider and reader when I am not writing.
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