Life in the dorm is an experience in itself. For many students, Scattergood is their first experience with dorm life. Living with 25 other teens can be both challenging and exciting at the same time. While many of the things one gets from living in the dorm is learned in other areas of the school as well, it seems that issues of respect and privacy are, as one would imagine, more prominent in the dorms. When students encounter problems with these issues, most common early on in the school year, the problem is taken to the dorm meetings on Sunday night where it is discussed and hopefully resolved. Sometimes it is a matter of students understanding that their mom will not come do the dishes for them if they leave them in the sink and sometimes it is just an issue of misunderstanding a cultural norm in the dorm. No matter what the actual outcome of the discussion is, students and staff have the opportunity each week to talk through their problems and joys of living in such a close environment and each year, we learn something new about how we deal with situations.

But life in the dorm is not all learning and meetings! How can it be when you are surrounded by your peers, many of whom are your good friends? Especially in the beginning of the year, dorm life is sometimes like one big slumber party. You stay up late talking with your roommate or as one of our students put it, "...anything can happen in the [Boys'] Dorm, a sudden game of wall-ball might start in the lounge or people might decide to play computer games against each other on the network. Sometimes people will hide from the dorm sponsors in other people's beds" (Russell '06). Pranks are pulled every once in a while, particularly in the winter months as students gets more creative.

Here are some closing comments from another Scattergood student in the Girls' Dorm, "[Living in the dorm] is definitely a good experience to have. You learn to live with others and become more flexible in your... environment. Even though at times it is incredibly hard to get alone time..., it's still wonderful to have a huge group of girls care so much about you and want to be there for you. I feel like my roommates are my sisters and I love having them be here for me and I for them. I think it definitely prepares you for college!" (Olivia '06)