How to find a Decent College Roommate
In the real world you end up with roommates that can be slobs, eat all your food, or have late night booty calls with their significant other in your dorm room. Yikes!
In an article at USA Today, studies show that one of the top five reasons for leaving college is "roommate conflict."
So how do you find a decent roommate?
Well, apparently that's not an easy question to answer. But here's how some colleges select your roommates if you choose to live in the dorms:
Speed roommate search - think speed dating, but rather than a lifelong commitment, you're looking for someone to spend the next couple of semesters with.
College directed selection - some colleges assign roommates based on your major or profiles submitted to the director of housing (this sounds like match.com has become matchroommates.com).
Suprise! - the college doesn't tell you who your roommate is until the day you get to campus--that way you can't look them up on FaceBook and find out what a horror show they may or may not be.
So do you have any tips for find a decent roommate?
If you want a decent roommate, you can always room with your friend from high school. You don't have to be the best of friends but at least you know each other well enough to appreciate each other's flaws.If you are planning on living off campus, you can always find people on Facebook or a Craigslist add from your class who need other roommates. You can set up a meeting preferably at a public place, such as a coffee shop, and see for yourself if your personalities are compatible. If you are a female, you may decide if you want to room with a girl or a guy. If you decide to room with a girl, you might be more comfortable with each other, but there might be more drama. There might be more fighting over hair products, clothes, and other girly things. If you decide to room with a guy, there won't be fighting over girl stuff but it might cause other conflicts. This goes towards males as well. Which ever way you go, to choose a decent roommate, I wish you the best of luck.
ReplyDeleteHaving a decent roommate... That has all to do with luck I think. my close friend was lucky enough to find a good roommate. Since we started college, I became best friends with those two. our plan next year, is to request each other. Try to get to know people this year and request them as roommates for the next year. otherwise everyone just has to get used to their room,ate or talk to them about it
ReplyDeleteIn finding a good roommate, it mentions that some colleges do not allow you to meet the person until you meet up at campus. This can be both a good and a bad idea, for the most part colleges should allow roommates to meet up ahead of time. This gives them an opportunity to get to know the person ahead of time that way if they find themselves with conflicts they know it before they move in and can notify the dorm adviser, so they change you with time to prevent any future conflict. In finding a recent roommate, college students should be required to take a test that describes themselves in order and match them up with some one they have in common. Last but not least to prevent from having any type of problems with your roommate is to set aside a schedule with responsibilities that way both you and your roommate have some kind of agreement to prevent any fighting.I know for a fact i would hate to have a messy dorm and a messy roommate. If you know you are going to be a roommate please make sure you clean up after yourself and respect the other person.
ReplyDeleteFinding a "decent" roommate in college will always be difficult, especially if you are a girl. Girls have monthly cycles and are always moody in general. Tips to finding a decent roommate may be finding someone from your high school or someone who has the same interests as you, such as the same major or things you both like to do. Someone from your high school would be a good way to go because you've known them enough to be able to room with. My roommate is a friend from high school and it is a good thing because we get along well. Of course we didn't live together before so now we have to agree to things that we didn't when we were in high school. We just had a "Roommate Contract" meeting with things we allow and don't allow from our roommate so you wouldn't have to worry so much because if they break that contract, they will get in trouble and get potentilly kicked out of the dorms.
ReplyDeleteI guess luck is the only thing that can help you in this situation. I know a friend of mine that was gonna dorm in SF State and before she moved in she had already talked to and got to know her roommate so when they moved in they weren't total strangers. So i would also say find a way to come in communication with your roommate if you know who they are.
ReplyDeleteIn hopes of finding a roommate,I went on Facebook ,we had a group of people who were all freshman and were looking for a roommate, I messaged a few people that I thought would make a good roommate. I am glad that I messaged those people because turns out we got housing on campus and we all happen to be roommates by chance. I am so happy we had met before we actually moved in. Since we have moved in, we have made a plan to go out at least once a month and do something as a group in order to bond together. We always communicate. I believe communication is the main key to becoming better friends and to get to know your roommates better.
ReplyDeleteTrying to find a decent roommate can be an impossible mission, you can either end up with someone you absolutely can't tolerate or you can meet your future best friend. I would suggest to meet up with candidates and try to learn what you both have in common. Make sure you can identify your differences and if you do have any decide if it's something you are willing to tolerate. If you are going to share food make sure you both have similar taste, this can help you avoid conflicts. sometimes it's inevitable to end up with a bad roommate you just have to work past your differences and be patient.
ReplyDeleteGood roommates are hard to find these days because obviously not everyone knows each other. Personally I took advantage of the summer programs on my campus. during the program I met many people from different areas. Around thirty of us were living in the dorms. We all were able to see how each other lived and how they act. So when fall rolls around I was able to know enough people to choose the best roommate. I suggest that you take a summer course to at least meet some people. That way you are able to see the different type of living styles of the future roommate candidates.
ReplyDeleteI had a lot of concerns about what my roommate would be like before I started college. I wanted to know if she snored, if she would be messy, noisy, or rude. All my concerns about my roommate were wrong and I got lucky with a nice roommate. I like the fact that I was able to meet someone new and given the chance to get to know her. I thought rooming with a friend would be better then living with someone I don't know but now I disagree with that. By having someone new to live with there's a better sense of respect then there would be with a friend because friends are so comfortable with you. Someone new has more respect for your time, personal belongings,and space.
ReplyDeleteSince the school assigns you a roommate, you can't necessarily "find" a decent roommate to dorm with. You are stuck with who you have unless you have problems with them. Instead of "finding," you just need to get to know your roommate. My school, personally, let us know who our roommate(s) was at least a few weeks before school started so that way we can all get to know each other before hand. Find them on any social network and start chatting. Get to know what their habits/hobbies are and figure out their pet peeves. Same goes for you, let them know what you like and don't like. Don't spend too much time with your outside friends because you might end up not getting along with your roommate(s) since you don't spend time to bond and get to know each other. Or another choice you can have on "finding" a decent roommate is if you plan on going to the same college as one of your really good friends then you should request them as a roommate and have them do the same for you. That way you are able to have more trust on your belongings and have more fun since you already know who you are dealing with in the dorm.
ReplyDeleteMost people say that finding a good room mates consists of luck and I agree.I think the key into finding a good room mate is communication. You need that as an essential tool to get things done and have things where they need to be. No matter how different you and your room mate may be I think communication is the strongest factor. Also being patient and understanding can help things run smoothly in the dorms. Tolerance has to be a part of your personality because not everyone is perfect or how you want them to be, the sooner you realize that the better your relationship with your room mate will be. Share all your duties around the house and mainly be responsible. With the equality and tasks distributed fairly I think that you will have a successful experience with your room mate.
ReplyDeleteGood roommates are hard to come by because the school chooses who is most compatable with you and sets you up with them. Thankfully I was able to request my bestfriend from high school and got her. If you know anyone and are able to request roommates then do it as soon as possible, so that you have a good chance of getting them. If this isn't an option then at orientation make as many friends as you can to see if they are canidates for a roommate. Two weeks before I moved in the school sent me the names of the people in my suite. I looked up my roommates on facebook and found out they were swimmers. They are hard to get along with but I'm glad I got a chance to be familiarized with them. If they do this I suggest looking them up and seeing what you are getting yourself into for the year.
ReplyDeleteHaving a good roommate can be a bit difficult to get, but one way is if you and a friend are going to the same college then you can request to have them as a roommate. On the other hand, if you go to a college where you know no one then whom ever your roommate is I think it would be best if you communicate with them and see where you both stand when it comes to living with others. After being at the school for awhile, make friends so that when the next year comes around you can request them to be your roommate.
ReplyDeleteI can see why it is hard or a one in a million chance to find a roommate you can get a long with while you're in college.recently, my friends have managed to become roomates with people going to the same school together who are still friends from high schooland get along perfectly! i would hate to get a roommate who i dont get along with. thank god when i move to Hawaii, i will be living at home. i would rather live in my new house with my mom instead of risking getting a dorm room with a roommate i cannot stand and cannot leave for the rest of the semester/year.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few ways to find a decent college roomate. While they are hard to come by, it is not impossible. After all you only have to spend a few semesters with them, not a whole lifetime as the post says. One way to do so is to start earlier, in high school. Maybe you didn't spend the most time getting to know this person at prom, and maybe in your four years of high school you only had one class with them freshman year, you do have a common goal. Finding someone in high school can be a good way to help transition to college life, and they might work out to be a roomate with more in common with you than you think. Another way to find a good college roomate is to get to know the person the college has set you up with in advance. I know most people get set up with roomates by colleges based on their major, or a 100 question survey about themselves. If you take time to know them before the start of the college year, maybe you will quickly find out that they are not the right person to live with, and it can save you a lot of hassle in the end. Another way is craigslist for the first semester. Finding a room to rent for the first few months until you can find someone in one of your classes to room with, is another way to avoid a bad roomate right away. In the end it is based on luck and patience. Luck that you will get set up with someone who shares your idea of living. And patience to know that you may have to live a few months with someone who is not ideal, but again it is not forever.
ReplyDeleteWhen you're looking for a roommmate, you just need to find someone who you can deal with for a year and you aren't looking for your next best friend. Also since you and your roommate will most likely have different schedules, you won't have to see them in the dorm around much. The main time you will see your roommate is in the morning and at night. Some colleges you can pick your roommate so just find someone you know or pick someone who doesn't have your pet peeves. It's only a year to be with them and if you don't like them just find more things to do out of the dorm or find other people to be around other than your roommate. Even if you do get a sucky roommate you can always find somethings in common and somewhat get along on some levels.
ReplyDeleteSince school assigns you a roommate, so neccecarily you wont be sure wether you get a decent roomate.In my opinion both roomates should have communication and understanding. Out of many reasons most roomates have disputes on cleaning the restroom or making foods etc. No matter how different they are patience matters most. Before looking for a roomate a person should give all his information reagarding what they like or not and give it to college and related to that they might find best roomate. Considering that school will tell them who their roomate is, so then one can look on facebook and know about their personality. If they both come up with understanding then it wont be hard for them to get along and have a succesfull semester.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate seems like most of it is luck. Unless you socialize during orientation with other students and find another kid looking for a roommate (who doesn't seem completely weird), then you should cross your fingers. Or if you know of a friend or classmate from highschool or a cc (that you like), then you're in luck. But if you don't like to socialize and don't want to during orientation or know of someone going to your school, then you should get on your knees and pray for a decent roommate!
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate is probally one of the hardest things you can do because for some reason you are never matched up with someone whom is exactly like you ir whom you prefer. In my opinion, when your going through the applictaion process you sould be specific as possible to what you would like to room with. If you are sot specific and do not say what you would rather prefer, you may end up getting stuck with what you didnt want. It is best to say what you actually did not want so you will not have to deal with that specific roommate when the time comes. Be specific as possible, and you just might have a "decent" roomate.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate can be tricky and usually is only done by luck. In college you rarely have the opportunity to choose your roommate. They are chosen for you. However, if the oppotunity does present itself, I suggest finding a roommate who has the same interests as you. It is said that "opposites attract" but having a roommate that is as neat and tidy as you, for example, would make your living arrangements a lot smoother. Another tip for finding a decent roommate is to look them up on Facebook or twitter. Social networks help determine whether the person is very social or even antisocial if they aren't available on any social networks. Get to know your roommate, find out if they are very studious or the type to party every weekend. Getting a decent roommate is likely but there's always a chance that you have one you don't quite "click" with. Use these tips in finding a decent roommate and you'll do just fine.
ReplyDeleteI found that a good way to find decent roommates is to meet up with them before moving in. Either way you and your roommate won't always get along through out the year. I found my roommate by moving into the dorms during the summer for cross country practice. I was able to hang out with her beforehand and got to know her a little better. I've also found that you can find your roommate on Facebook as well. One of my friends found her roommate by searching on Facebook and hung out with her before moving on campus. It's hard to really tell if you'll get along with your roommate because you will get tired of your roommate at times. I don't always get along with mine.
ReplyDeleteI know a thing or two about having a roommate who is NOT decent to live with. I currently live on campus at Cal State East Bay, and living on campus has given me the opportunity to meet people I may never have had the chance to meet otherwise. The way East Bay assigns roommates is by each students major. The school emailed us, before we moved in, the names of our roommates. With technology now a days its easy to look up people, so I was able to find my future roommates on Facebook. However Facebook can only get you so far. I can not tell a persons personality by the way that they look so meeting them face to face come move in day, would be the only way. I think even if you have problems with your roommates you should learn to deal with or fix the situation for yourself because in the real world you will have to deal with people you may not like.
ReplyDeleteIt is really important to find a good roommates. You have to spend a whole year with these people. It provides you with an opportunity to get to know new people and make friends, but not always you get a good roommate. There maybe some habits and acts pf their which you don't like. So thats why you should be really specific in your application about yourself and preference for the roommates.Students should also take a self assessment test to help the school make clusters of students based on their preferences. Many colleges and universities allow students to meet their roommates before the school started.
ReplyDeleteIt is key to find a decent roommate for college because it is a huge part of your college experience. If you have a sloppy or rude roommate it could alter your outlook on the away from home college experience. However, if you have a good roommate it could make your entire experience that much better. Roommates should be decided by common interests. For example, their majors, sports, sororities/fraternities, or other interests that they have in common. If you have a roommate that you have things in common with, then you are more likely to get along with each other. You will also be able to make your schedules and studying work together. I do not live on campus because I only like 30 minutes away, but if I were to live on campus, I believe that these few ideas would be extremely crucial to finding a decent roommate.
ReplyDeleteA way to help college students find a better roommates are having self assessment tests. The way it would work is each student who would be living on campus has to take a self assessment. Thus, the school would process every information about each individual and match it with who is most compatible. Since I do not know what it is like to have a bad roommate, I can assume that it isn't easy and it is very hard to deal with. The least a university can do is spend time finding people the right roommate. Another thing that the school can do is to let students meet up with their roommates to see if they are able to live with each other for a whole semester or not. In the end, if everything has been done and your roommate is still horrible to live with, you have to bare with them because thats how the real world is.
ReplyDeleteThe safest way to find a roommate that you'll actually enjoy living with is by choosing someone you already know. A close friend perhaps, who you constantly had sleep overs with. I didn't choose my rommates when I was getting my dorm but I was luck enough to be placed with some great guys that I can really talk to and go out to have some fun. But if I had to choose someone to live with it would be a friend from back home that I really trust.
ReplyDeleteLiving with new people worries me. College is a time for hard work and a new life experience, especially when its time to move out on your own. Finding decent people to live under the same roof as you is hard to do now. I am EXTREMELY picky when it comes to being in a new environment. When I move out I have certain expectations that NEED to be met, which is why I'd rather buy an apartment then live in a dorm. These expectations involve:
ReplyDelete1. Being my own ethnicity. I would rather have someone live with me who shares the same background as me, I feel as though things would run a lot more smoother.
2. NEAT and RESPONSIBLE. I forbid to live with slobs! I am a neat freak and demand to keep my things clean and neat.
3. NO DRUGGIES/ALCOHOLICS! I can't stand people doing drugs around me. I feel as though its bad peer pressure.
Therefore, I CAN NOT afford to live in a dorm with people I DONT KNOW! I would rather live in an enviornment that makes me feel as though I'm still at home! :D
The most important think in college and dorms is having a good roomate. I've noticed that having a roomate that will respect you and become your friend is a plus. Of course not everyone is a great roomate. Most college student try to roomate with their friends is they're going tot the same college, but I personaitly think its not such a great idea to roomate with your best friend or even your friend becuase I think it can ruined your friendship. On the bright side, you'll never know how close you could end up with your new roomate, and you can actually meet new people.
ReplyDeleteI am going to communitry college right so i dont have to worry about paying the rent yet. I am living with my family. Living with someone own makes life so much easier because we always can rely on them.I will be moving from my home in 2 years. I dont mind living without my family because i can survive out there in the real world. It will be very hard for me find a room-mate. It is very hard to find trustworthy people in this world.i dont know if i would want to live with someone. I would rather live by myself instead of sharing a house with someone. Situations can change in future. I would say before making a roommate i would find information about them. I would do some kind of investigation before i choose my room-mate. For example i would check their social networks, their social life etc.
ReplyDeleteComing by a roommate you really like is in most cases difficult. But if you and your friend are going to the same college then you can request to have them as your roomate which in most cases works out great. But it can also cost your friendship because you might not like the way your friend is living and start complaining and fighting.
ReplyDeleteAnother option is also after being in college for a while and making friends to find a roommate you like that way. If you are in that position where you get put together with a "stranger" then it's always good to communicate with that person to find out more about him/her and hopefully that will work out for you in a positive way. Living together with a stranger is always a challange and surprise at some point.
One of the most important things that make or break in college years is the room-mate. It is either he/she will make your college years miserable or fun and easy.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately colleges and universities don't tell you the name of your room-mate and also you don't meet until you move in, that is why the first day is really important because it will give the first impression. And you should also remember that he/she is always worried about you so I believe the best think you can do in the first day in a small meeting.
Through this meeting you will know each other more, you will be able to let your room-mate to know what do you like and what you don’t. It is going to be a good beginning to start a good relation with your room-mate.
I think the easiest thing to do if you're searching for a room mate is to live with someone you know and someone that you are comfortable with. That's what I would do if i was given the choice at least. But in college dorm situations, I guess I would try answering the room mate survey questions truthfully then crossing my fingers and hoping to get someone I can get along with. I have seen some of the college room mate surveys and they get a bit unusual, they have questions such as what type of animal would represent you? Who is your favorite artist? etc. They also have more reasonable questions like, on a scale of 1-10 how neat are you? or would you mind if your room mate had people over late night? So given the situation of not being able to choose a room mate, I would stay true behind the room mate survey questions, even if they do get a bit weird.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't live on campus, this article definitely made me think into the future of when I might start living on campus or away from home with a roommate. I think the best technique is to room with someone or people that you already know, and know a lot about. But if you don't have that option, and you get a random roommate chosen for you, then I think that you should take some time to get to know that person, and let that person know about you. The biggest component to getting along with a stranger or a new friend is communication, so if there's a problem or anything like that, you should talk it out with your roommate, because that can ultimately make you closer to them in the long run.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, in college, it should not matter who your roommate is. I mean, it may affect you in many ways but two roommates should be mature adults and talk about what things are okay, and what things are not okay. That way, less things can affect you, and you can learn how to adapt to it. It's all about the communication. To me, finding a roommate can be a very good life lesson. You can learn many things about yourself and others. If i lived on campus, I would love to face any roomie that I will have. It can be a great experience. For any of those incoming Freshmen, my advices are to be very open-minded and have fun with the new people who you meet.
ReplyDeleteI m a university student but do not live in the dorm because my home is not too far from my university. I know it can be very difficult to find a good dorm roommate, I know that because some of friend who live in the dorm with other students and they always complaints about their roommate. I believe that there are things can be done in order to find a decent roommate. Students can try to switch room and move with the person they like. Also students can tell the manager about the other student if he/she is giving hard time and manager can try to change the roommate for you. The other thing students can do is that they can sit with his/her roommate and can try to figure out about how they going to live together and can make their lives easy. I think student should not hurry about anything, they can take their time and get to know each other because sometime, a good conversation can solve problems. I believe that good talking can change a lot, so the best way to solve problem is talking to roommate. Also there are some universities which let meet the roommates prior ahead of time, so they get to know each other before sharing the room.
ReplyDeleteFinding a good roommate is based on the luck of the draw and if colleges could be helpful the "match.com" idea sounds like the smartest so far. THe only issue i can see is that simply just based on major will not make the roommates compatible and sometimes those who are too similar hate the qualities in themselves so it won't workout to see them on some one else. After my past experience of living with seven other guys under one roof i noticed how different people can be and similar at the same time. I believe that college living is mainly to show young people how to start being mature and to begin problem solving. What I consider this to mean in the case of roommates is that you need to be able to handle you differences and talk to one another and come to an agreement on any issues presented. Being honest from the beginning ultimately will be the huge reason for any resolved issues. instead of building up turmoil over time and leading to a bigger fight that could be avoided.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate in college has to do with luck. If you live in the dorms the best thing to do to avoid a bad roommate is to find someone from your high school. Most likely that person is also looking for someone from high school so they are not alone. I was not fortunate enough to have a decent roommate; my former roommate and I bumped heads nearly everyday. He and I did not see eye to eye for most of the year due to a change I made in the setup of our furniture. He was upset because he claimed he did not have enough space to come in and out comfortably. I was willing to reason with him and move some things around however he already had half of his furniture on my side of the room disallowing me to have and equal amount of room. The breaking point between us was when he and his girlfriend decided to get active on his side while I was awake playing video games with my other roommate. His constant arguing and crying over his girlfriend drove me insane. My second year I hit the jackpot with my roommates; my direct roommate is my pledge brother and best friend. My two other roommates are my close friends one being a brother of my fraternity. We do bump heads between the four us but it is insignificant and we joke about it later. Next year I plan to move out of the dorms with my brothers and I know this will be the big test on finding a decent roommate. These roommates must be able to pay off all rent, maintain the house clean, and respect the house. Moving out with my brothers helps me relax and know we will all be on top of our things and keep it strictly business when we must pay rent and any extra costs. If you want a decent roommate the best thing you can do besides having someone you know from high school is cross your fingers and hope you don't get someone that knows exactly how to push your buttons.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent college roommate can be hard to do for a college freshmen if they do not really know anyone at the school they will be attending, they basically have to hope they get lucky and have cool roommates. For those that do know a few people they should immediately put in a roommate request so they don't have to go through the stress of dealing with strangers that they don't mesh with. For upper class men living on campus again you should try to room with previous roommates or friends that you have made through out the year instead of shooting in the dark and getting a new batch of random roommates.If you do get put with roommates that you do not know don't let that discourage you,try to get to know your roommates and establish rules or boundaries and they should be understanding.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to find a decent college roommate, the most important thing is all about yourself. You must be decent which means that kind of personality can attract the people who are very decent. The sec2 thing is the tools of the communication must be very in due form just like the face book or something like that. On my personal point of view, if two or more people stay together for a long time, the fight or quarrel with each other that is old stuff, therefore you have no requisite to care about it. Made allowance for your roommate is the easy thing but not easy as roommate of the roommate.
ReplyDeleteI think the speed dating roommate thing is not that serious. One, i think having a random person assigned to you gives you an opportunity to be an adult. By that I mean if there are conflicts you your roommate need to work out then you have no choice but to mediate a conversation on your own. Also if your roommate is just horrible and you wish to switch then that gives you experience on how to find answers on your own, compared to high school where your parents come in or in middle school where your counselor would take over.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent college roommate is really important for us. Because when I was come here as freshman, my roommate is a black music guy, at the beginning, I don't really mind, however, he was like playing music at late night and drinking with his friend, in this situation, how can I had a good sleep, if I did't get enough rest, how can I pay more attention on my class. This is my own story, and tell us a decent roommate is really important!
ReplyDeleteThere isnt really a good way to find a decent roommate, especially depending on the way your college decided to assign roommates. As a freshman, i was really looking forward to rooming with a friend i grew up with and i thought this was actually going to happen until one day i received an email from a group of 7 girls telling me that we were rooming together. Of course i was upset, but living in the house i grew rather close to one of the 7 girls and decided to switch rooms and room with her. Having an assigned roommate i agree gives you the opportunity to be an adult, you aren't really sure what you're getting yourself into and you might like it in the end. The best way to find a decent roommate is to put in roommate request or speak to people who attend your school find one you connect with the most.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate is not easy but it is very important to find. There are a couple of ways you are able to find a decent roommate. A few months before you move into your dorm you should find someone from your high school or someone that you know is going to the same college as you. If you like this person, and you are well acquainted with them you should consider asking them to be your roommate. Then you can submit a roommate request to your school. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. A week or two before school starts the school sends you an email giving you the name(s) of your roommate(s) and their email. Once you get their name just go onto Facebook and search them up. Look at their profile and look at their "likes," Facebook status updates, and most important their pictures. Judging someone by their Facebook is not always the right thing to do but in this case it is. Look at everything on their Facebook and you will see what they are like and if your personalities will clash or not. Also, because you have their email just email them a short and sweet message introducing yourself to them. If you realize that this person is not the person you can live with for the rest of the year request a roommate change. Roommate changing is usually done during the first two or three weeks, which is enough time to find someone who is a decent roommate, and you can manage to live with them for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteI think to find a decent roommate is very important for our college life. Because the first person you will see at morning is your roommate and the last person you see when you go to sleep.If you have a good roommate you can study, shooping luagh,cry together.And after one quarter your roommate became your best friend.But if you have a "bad" roommate. Like play the music at night very loud, missing your room and bathroome, or eat your food without asking your then your college life seems going to the very horrible way. I had a Indonesia roommate. Because of her religion, sometimes she do not eat for all day the eat alot at night,and use the very strong spicy when she pray. At first I fell very hard to be roommate with her. But after when I talk to her I knew she is a very friendly girl and I learn a lot different culturte and language from her. And we became like very good friend. So I think in the college we will meet a lost of different people speak different language have differet culture. But I feel to learn from the difference is very important and interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how people drop out of college because of their roommates. Don't people drop out because of of the work? Well it is important to pick a roommate that is responsible and not a messy old wreck. My suggestion on finding a decent roommate is as long as they are organized because you share rooms with that person and it is not good if they are leaving empty bags of chips on the ground.Have a conversation with your roommate about timing and your concerns with one another. it does not hurt to ask! You are going to be with this person for quite some time. Lastly, I suggest that you try to get your friend as a roommate so that things can be easier for you. If you want to meet new people then that is fine too.
ReplyDeleteFinding a college roommate is something that is easy to find, however, you want to look for someone who you can get along with for the next few semesters. I find it interesting that students would drop out of college because of their conflicts with their roommates. Having a decent roommate is gravely important for students who live on campus. My friend attends college is Southern California and she had problems with her ex-roommate last semester. They did not drop out of college, but they both got new roommates. I suggest the speed roommate search because you would be able to briefly know that person. Also, the college directed selection can help because roommates would be able to have at least one thing in common with each other, which is the same major or profile. For others, some would like to meet new people and do not need to do a speed date roommate search or check their Facebook. Although this does not apply to me, if I were to dorm at my college, I would want to find a roommate that I have similar interests with so I can reduce the risks of starting conflicts. Having conversations about restrictions with your roommate before moving in the dorms can help you and your roommate.
ReplyDeletemy tip for finding a decent roommate is to not. Live alone.i like my personal place and privacy. i wouldnt like having someone in my space 24/7. it would drive me crazy. im very OCD when it comes to organization. and im very quite and to myself. im not going to college for the soical life and to make life long friends. im there to get a good education and to create a better life for myself.
ReplyDeleteMy tip for finding a decent roommate is DO NOT ROOM WITH YOUR FRIENDS. I never had a friend as a roommate,however, I know a few people who have and lets just say their friendships were tested.When you first go to college you might think that rooming with your friends is a great idea. WRONG! Being around your friends 24/7 isn't always the best. Your friend may have a habit that irritates you or you might irritate your friend. To me the best thing is to room with someone you are comfortable with but not that close to. That way there is no love lost.
ReplyDeleteMy advice for finding a decent roommate is to not have one if you do not have to. In today's economy it is very hard to afford an apartment on your own so most people feel obligated to find a roommate and divide the bills. I personally would suggest living with a family member before you try and live with a complete stranger, because you never know. People are slobs, disrespectful and unreliable sometimes. I think that rooming with friends can sometimes cause drama and be a very bad idea. I would recommend really getting to know someone and how they truly are before you try and live with them. I am surprised to hear that one of the reasons people leave college is because of "roommate conflict", I could never let one person that I don't even know have that much power over me to where I make a decision like that.
ReplyDeleteMy best advice for a roommate is someone who you can hang out with, but still give you your space. Do not get a room with your best friend because conflict will occur and that might ruin the friendship. For a roommate, find someone you know that you might go catch a movie with once in a while. Get someone who you can have something in common with. Sports, pokemon cards, whatever you feel. For example, I would get a roommate who has a good sense of humor and is relaxed. The other day I took my friend to Quickly's, an asian restaurant. It was my first time using chopsticks and as always expected, it was confusing and frustrating. He sat there for an hour and a half as I ate my food. I guess it didn't help that I ordered the soup.
ReplyDeleteI find this article very interesting because I've heard so many terrible stories about my friends and their college roommate experiences. For me, I've never had that experience, and I don't know whether to feel happy or upset about it. But from what I've heard so far, I'm sort of glad that I never had to deal with having a roommate. My best advice would be to avoid rooming with a best friend, because even though it seems really fun, it'll become a situation where you get so used to each other, you start taking each other for granted and your respect for each other decreases. Tension starts to arise and you may even end up not being friends anymore. I personally would room with someone I'm either acquainted with, or don't know at all. That way, I can immediately have respect for the person and his personal space, and he can do the same.
ReplyDeleteThe guy two posts above me seems really insightful. He sounds like he has a great personality too.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first came to college I knew who ALL SEVEN of roommates were. I knew their names and had talked to them before.The way we were talking it seemed as if we were all a match made in heaven. So I moved to campus with all my SEVEN roommates who by the way were girls. Everything was going fine..until I met someone. I got so close to this person and I was living my own separate life with the new person. My roommates started treating me differently and acted as if I had betrayed them. And while I was going through this, I found a new place with people I really enjoyed being around. It was hard for me to accept that my roommates and I had grown apart. I felt bad cause they thought we were all going to be best friends for the rest of our lives and move in together later on in life. But the fact of the matter is that life doesn't work that way. You have to do what you have to do to make yourself happy. I learned that you are the most important in your life. If you find someplace you want to be, then don't hesitate and go there. Make yourself happy.Be honest with yourself and what you're comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteThis article really caught my attention because it gives advice on finding a decent roommate, as a college freshman I have already experienced my fair share of life scaring stories and like the article stated I didn't even know who my six other roommates were until move in day. Some advice I have experienced in my suite is don’t move in with a best friend or significant other it never works out problems will begin to pop up left and right I have experienced this with two of my suitemates. Luckily I avoided this with my best friend. If you find yourself thinking that all your roommates are perfect and your room has no problems then you might be the bad roommate jut throwing it out there, What most people need to realize that at some point is that problems will always pop out I doesn't necessarily mean it’s a bad thing but when you find a clingy girl that is knocking on your door at 4:30 am and waking up your other roommates get your life together because it’s going to get hectic real soon. My last piece of advice is finding a roommate who has similar interest, gives you space but once in a while both of you can hangout, make sure he’s clean but not OCD neat freak (They’re the worst), and if they do bring “friends” of the opposite sex over make sure they have the decency to inform you a couple of hours before so you can get out of there.
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ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate can be really hard. The first thing I thought to myself was "I'm probably going to be stuck with a freak and we are not going to get along at all." This was definitely not the right mentality to have. My number one tip is to be open-minded. Everybody is different and many people have grown up in different environments. One of my suite mates grew up in an environment where his mother and father cleaned everything for him and he hardly did any work around the house. Another suite mate had to clean everything and had a lot of responsibilities in the house. Everyone is different, so just give it time for you to get to how everybody functions. Another piece of advice to try and make friends with everyone in your dorm. Even if you don't like the way they act or if they do something your against, its always a good idea to make friends with them. You will be living with them for a while so you'll eventually have to get along with them. And lastly, try to not be "that guy." There is always that one person who doesn't clean after himself, or takes really long showers, or makes a lot of noise when you are trying to sleep. Don't be "that guy" who does this. Eventually everybody is going to be sick of you and something will go down if you're "that guy".
ReplyDeleteI think finding a good roommate is fairly simple. There are all types of people in the world, so either way we will have to manage with what we get. I think to get a good roommate, you have to be a good roommate yourself. On the first day of everyone living together or moving in, I think that they should go over what everyone is expecting, rule wise, and then they should go over what they do and don't want to happen in the house or apartment. I think that rules should be set from the very first day. People will always be people, but we have to learn to work and manage each other.
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ReplyDeleteBefore i came to college i knew who my roommate was because she dated my cousin and i went to middle school with her, but the other 5 girls i didn't know at all so it was weird at first to live with people i have never met or seen before. I think to have a decent room there should be rules laid out before you get settled in such as: what you can or can't borrow with out asking, or can i touch your things when you aren't in the room. My roommates and I are super close now and I'm glad I have met them its all about getting to know each other for the first time.
ReplyDeleteWell sometimes its really hard finding that "right" roommate, like mentioned in the article some colleges don't tell you until you show up to your assigned room. That really is a bummer because you're left with the surprise of not knowing, this can make anyone really anxious.Some tips one can take is talking to others in the dorms that have already been through what you're going through. It's like a gamble not knowing who you're going to be placed with. I still dont know how it is to live with roommates, but i will at the start of next year.One might do is once everyone meets up for the first time they should all talk introduce each other, and start setting ground rules. Communication is key people, not setting rules or chores can probably lead to having very messy roommates.
ReplyDeleteFinding a decent roommate is really just luck of the draw, I was lucky enough to room with someone that I trusted and we are friends if not the best friends ever we came and are living on good terms, we put up with each others crap but its because we worked it out to being roommates knowing full well that we were not 'best friends' we were aware that we knew each other well enough that if something one of us does ticks the other off we'll come out and say it, not stay silent to preserve our friendship. I honestly think this was a good idea on both our parts as we so far have been able to live pretty peacefully together and if I had roomed with any of my close friends, as much as I do love them, our friendship would be tested and might not end up lasting.
ReplyDeleteFinding a roommate is a very current topic for me. As I am finishing the transferring process and as I am readying myself for a move to a larger school I need to find someone to live with. After much debate I realized the best option (mostly based on costs) was to live on campus in a triple dorm. As terrified as I am to live with strangers the worst part was the housing application. I thought it would be a long form that asked my questions about all aspects of my life to pair me with two other girls with the same lifestyle, but this was not the case. After I filled out a page of somewhat relative questions, that was it. There were probably only 3-5 questions that asked about my personality and lifestyle. Now I am even more scared to move away from the comfort of my own room into one room with two other strangers.
ReplyDeleteI wish schools had a better way of organizing roommates, maybe people could make profiles and almost online date for a roommate. But then again this could just be another way to push myself and other students out of their comfort zones. Even if this is the case I still think more questions should be asked, because as a very clean and organized person I will go insane living in the same room as a slob.
Finding a decent roommate won’t happen in a day. Or even a week. Maybe a month. I think it’s important to know the person really well before deciding to live together. Even if it is only for a semester, a decent roommate can mean the difference between good grades and leaving. As stated above, if the top reason for leaving college is roommate disagreements, obviously having a decent roommate is a priority for students. I know it is a priority for me. It’s what I have looked forward to since I was younger: having a college experience and living in a dorm with a bunch of friends. So, before rooming with someone for a semester, I plan on talking through facebook a lot, hanging out a couple times, and getting to know the girl I’ll be eating, sleeping, and pulling all-nighters around. My main worry about finding a roommate right now, is since I’ll be a transfer student, most people will already have roommates or be living off campus. I have cousins who have wonderful stories about roommates. Others have horror stories. All I can do is learn from mistakes, what worked, and spend the time to make what will hopefully be a lifelong friend.
ReplyDeleteMy experience as a college freshman has been an adventure roommate-wise. My campus allows us to pointlessly create a profile and then places us based on space available, not upon personality and cleanliness. This has lead to me learning this tip; sometimes you are just going to have to deal with unsatisfactory roommates and tough the year out. Also another tip is to see it as an opportunity to grow and learn about peacefully solving interpersonal relationships. All and all leaving college because of bad roommates is not the answer.
ReplyDeleteI believe one very important tip to finding a decent roommate is to avoid rooming with a close friend. problems could arise and possibly interfere with your friendship. You might even end up getting tired of eachother's company. My next tip to finding a decent roommate is to be able post your social media names on a forum so that other potential roommates can view their profiles and message them to get to know each other better. Nothing is hidden on social media so I feel like if colleges allowed you to write a little about yourself and post you social media name on the school housing website, it would help students find the right, decent roommate.
ReplyDelete[Extra Credit] As an international student, I live with roommates next to campus as many other international students do. I am lucky to say that I live with fairly decent roommates compare to a lot of roommate horror stories that I heard from others. The best way to find a decent college roommate is to room with someone you know. They do not necessarily have to be your best friends or even close friends. As long as it is someone you know, who you have talked to for a few time and did not develop any bad feelings towards that person. We cannot all live with the perfect roommate who understands you and made a good team living together. Even rooming with your best friend does not necessarily make you guys the best roommates forever. I believe the key to having a decent roommate is to set up simple rules and understand each other’s boundaries. Therefore, even if you are not BFF with your roommate, at the end of the lease you would not hate to live with him or her for another semester. Even though I am satisfied with the roommate I have now, I would choose to live alone in the future if circumstances allowed, because no one needs more trouble in life.
ReplyDeleteI think in my case finding a decent roommate in a new country is always a tough task at the beginning. For me when I moved to here from Wisconsin I have no choice to even choose the roommate since I just need to place to sleep first. However, if you are not like me, my tip is to contact your friends at first and go to facebook housing page. Because not everyone is open to living with strangers and if he/she doesn't match your personality, it is very stressful. Also, before moving in, make a do/don't list and contracts about when you leave the place you have to find a replacement or not. Good luck everyone.
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