What you need to know about living with a roommate for the first time
If you're just starting university or college, odds are you'll be sharing a dorm, room or apartment. Here's our guide to coping with cohabiting with strangers
First-years, freshmen, Year One students: whatever you call it, if you're starting your first year of university this autumn, there's a pretty high chance you'll be sharing dorms, rooms and apartments for the first time. Cohabiting with someone you've never met can be awkward and even uncomfortable, but with a little help, you can make this first year memorable for all the right reasons.
Dan Pedersen, senior director of housing and residential services at Northern Illinois University, in the US, shared some essential advice to help ensure your first roommate relationship is a success.
Getting off on the right foot with your roommate
Residency employees at universities encourage students to meet each other online as soon as they’ve been assigned roommates, which is almost always a random process. While a lot of schools have personality questionnaires, there is no perfect method for roommate compatibility, Pedersen explains.
Using social media or texting to get to know each other before moving in is a great tool to establish a relationship. But don’t be invasive by contacting your new roommate too much, Pederson says.
Keep realistic expectations, set boundaries
One of the most common mistakes first-year students make living on campus is expecting their new roommate to be their best friend, Pedersen says.
“A lot of students go into it thinking it will be like summer camp or sports camp, where they had a roommate for a week and it worked out great, but it turns out differently,” he says.
Curb your enthusiasm, Pedersen advises, and walk into this new relationship, letting it mature and grow organically. Do not put unrealistic pressure on yourself and your roommate. Sharing a 10-by-15 foot dorm with a stranger begins a new, merging relationship. It’s important as a student to evaluate your expectations for this new relationship. Try not to be guarded with your roommate, but be positive about the new bond.
