One thing I always did was to place a fridge in the main living area. This way when the roommates brought in food, I would grab the plates and put them in the fridge, never had to worry about meal issues. Living in a dorm would allow my students to eat for free at the commons. Also by having roommates that you don't control, there were things going on from time to time that would allow your sim(s) to meet different people that would stop by. This does not happen in private homes.
I can't recall if dorms would allow grills or microwaves.