Life in the residence halls is more than narrow hallways, lofted beds and a roommate.

Living on campus provides a variety of benefits and opportunities for residents.

Location is an obvious advantage. Engineering is the most popular college at Iowa State, and the Friley, Helser, Eaton and Martin residence halls provide a location that is close to most engineering classes.

Nothing is too far from the centralized Geoffrey and Buchanan, which are both also near the Memorial Union.

Richardson Court residence halls and the Maple-Willow-Larch complex are close to two popular dining centers in Seasons and Conversations, as well as the Lied Recreation Athletic Center for fun activities like soccer, basketball and tennis.

Frederiksen Court is the most popular living choice for returning students, and it is only a bus ride away from classes. Finally, Wallace and Wilson are the most remote residence halls on campus. Commonly referred to as the Towers, there is no meal plan requirement to select a room. The Towers are also known to have a close community that bonds over their distance from the main campus.

Residence hall community is a staple of residence hall life. As residence halls are mostly comprised of freshmen, many people are facing the same challenges and struggles. There are so many incredible experiences to take part in.

Many are concerned about the prospect of having roommates. Your roommates can be your best friend or simply that other person in the room. Whomever your roommates may be, it is important to establish a positive relationship and ground rules with them so you can all make it to the end of the year in one piece.

You should also get to know your community advisor (CA). They should be your go-to person when conflict arises. Your CA does not have to be your best buddy, but they are definitely someone you can trust.

Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) are also a part of residence hall life that students can take advantage of.

You can opt into a RLC to instantly surround yourself with people who have similar interests, or you can sign up to be assigned a room randomly and see what the mixed bag of peers in your residence hall have to offer.

However, all of these great advantages do not conceal the fact that residence hall life can present some challenges.

One of the great historical hurdles of college residence halls are the communal bathrooms. Get used to taking showers with flip-flops on and take a look at other essentials you should bring on the Iowa State housing website.

Also, residence halls are quite noisy at times. There is a lot going on to distract students from diligent study habits. Packing up your study materials and heading over to a favorite study spot of yours is a great solution.

In the end, no residence hall experience is created equal. Each student will have a unique adventure, and many of your peers will agree that residence hall life is one of the most rewarding college experiences outside the classroom.

Having access to such a diverse community in a residence hall or apartment, truly allows an individual to look at the world with a new perspective.