Having a roommate can be one of the most stressful things about college. Unless you are already friends, a roommate is usually a stranger, most likely in a different major or different student organization than you.
Amaya Serrano, a freshman creative writing major said that she got her roommate through the random processing system. "We both filled out the application early," she said. "The school actually matched us together. I really like how the school matched me with my roommate."
Serrano urged roommates to communicate. "It's not going to be easy. Even if you're friends with them, you're just going to have to learn to talk things out. That's the biggest thing," she said.
"I would say communication is number one. You should have really good communication with your roommate," said Merrilea Cherry, a freshman business management major.
"[Find] people who have similar interests and hobbies as you, cause I think those are really good for conversation starters," she said in reference to finding a good roommate.
Dawson Bergstron, a freshman systems engineering major, recommended this advice. "Make boundaries," he said. "Follow rules that you set."
T&C reporters advice:
1) Talk to your RAs. They are here to help you and will guide you through conflicts you may have that you may not be comfortable addressing on your own. Amy Hissrich, T&C reporter.
2) Find someone with similarities. There is a Facebook page that a lot of new students use to find potential roommates prior to moving on campus. Hermon Tesfaldet and Josie Meridith, T&C reporters.
3) Find out how they like the room. Whether hot or cold, messy or tidy, this can save a lot of conflict in the future if you have similar room preferences. Amy Hissrich, T&C reporter.
4) They don't have to be your best friend, but a good roommate is someone that you can go to in a time of need and someone that you can count on. Ty Forney, T&C Editor-in-Chief.
