Unless you opt for a single room, you will be sharing your dorm room with at least one other person. Living together under cramped quarters can be fun, but it won't always be easy. Treat your roommate with the same respect that you would like to receive. For example, listen to your music with headphones instead of blasting it through the room. Or if you know the sandwich in the refrigerator is not yours, don't eat it. If your roommate does something that gets on your nerves, talk to her about it. Clear the air and don't hold a grudge all year.
Dorm rooms are full of distractions, making them not the best place to study. Your roommate might have the television on, your floor mates will be stopping in and it will probably just be loud on your floor in general. If your dorm has a lounge, you might be able to get some work done in there, but your best bet is to head to the library when you need to study or write a paper.
Befriend the other people who live on your floor; there's a good chance they will become your closest friends. Keep your door open, inviting visitors to stop in and visit. Put a marker and white board on your door so your neighbors can write messages to you when you're not there. Dorms often have activities and clubs for residents to attend to get to know one another, including movie night, quiz night and resident student-government associations.
You are going to want to keep snacks in your dorm room, in addition to having a campus meal plan. Most on-campus eateries are not open 24 hours a day, so you're bound to get hungry at a time when you can't run to the dining hall for food. Keep snacks that do not expire quickly, such as granola bars and pretzels, in your room to sustain your hunger between meals.
The average size of a dorm room is just 12 feet by 19 feet. Talk to your roommate before you move in so that you don't end up bringing duplicate furnishings. You both don't need to bring a television, refrigerator and a microwave, so plan together. It's also a good idea to check with your school to see which items are permitted in dorm rooms and which are not. If your dorm room does not come furnished, look for used furniture to fill it. There's no need to have new furniture in an environment where it likely will take a beating.