Starting Roommate Success Early

Freshman year can be a fun and exciting time for all incoming students. There are new experiences to be had, new activities to discover, and a newfound freedom to navigate. Within all the excitement, hustle, and bustle of beginning the college adventure, it is essential to acknowledge one of the most important characteristics of freshman year: having a roommate! Whether students live in a hall, suite, hotel-style dorm, or a living and learning village, having a roommate is a quintessential part of the freshman experience. While some may have experienced living with a roommate prior to college or even sharing a room with a sibling, sharing a dorm with another individual can be an entirely different experience with its own set of challenges. A good way to get ahead of any challenges or disagreements that may arise is by starting roommate communication and any tough conversations early. 

One great way to do this is by setting a time to call or chat with a future roommate and start having conversations about various topics over the course of the summer. This may look like having a list of questions and topics written down for discussion, or simply just chatting about what expectations to establish for the semester and year. By having these conversations early, it can give all parties a chance to think and reflect about the upcoming year and the style of living they would like to have. The most important thing to establish during these conversations, though, is the fact that things might not be the same throughout the entire year! By acknowledging different rules and standards to maintain throughout the year, it is also equally important to know that these rules may have to change. The best way to go about those situations is communication! For example, in my freshman year, both my roommate and I experienced some major and course challenges, which led us to change our majors. These challenges caused quite a bit of stress and led us to have to change some of our roommate rules and establish times that we needed to chat throughout the week to check in with each other. 

Another great way to start the ball rolling on a great roommate relationship is to plan a fun activity or meet up in the summer. While those tough conversations can be a great way to establish rules for the upcoming year, it is important to have a more fun and relaxed opportunity to chat in order to get to know who you are sharing a space with. I am an out ot state student, so my roommate and I planned a day in early August for me to visit and us to spend the day together doing fun activities. While this may not be feasible for all, it is a great way to spend quality time with a future roommate! 

Parent Ally, 

Abby Crosser