by Emilie Mobley, June 2019

1. College Roommate=Friend?

Maybe, maybe not.  Surviving and thriving as a freshman can be rooted in maintaining a healthy roommate relationship. Your dorm room is your home, and the person(s) you share it with is an important part of your college experience. Some relationships seem to evolve naturally and are comfortable, but even the most agreeable relationships require a bit of effort. Rule of thumb-behave towards your roommate the way you want your roommate to behave towards you.

2.  Communication is Essential

As the initial excitement of being away from home begins to wear off, you will settle in to a new routine. You and the people you share a dorm with all come with your own personalities and habits. One of you may like to go to bed early, the other stays up late. One of you may like to have friends over often, the other not-so-much. Be patient, have fun, and do your best to communicate clearly. Contribute to building a solid relationship based on respect. If things don’t go well, and you’ve spoken directly with your roommate(s) about the issues, you should consider talking with your RA. 

3. Responsibility, Yours and Mine

Are you living with a rule-breaker? Know this: you are not responsible for anyone else’s behavior. You are responsible, however, for your own. If your roommate is breaking campus rules, and you do not agree with the rule-breaking, start the conversation. Once you have addressed these issues with your roommate, you should consider talking with your RA, if the behavior continues. Rules are there for your protection. Don’t jeopardize all your hard work by disregarding what could become a problem for you. Ignoring a problem won’t make it go away.

4. Respect Goes Both Ways

This one seems really simple, but you’d be surprised how we sometimes miss clues others are sending that are meant to signify a breach of trust. Sometimes we cross invisible lines of tolerance and need to deal with the consequences. You are joining a campus full of students who come from many different lifestyles. As you begin this college journey, be mindful of others and of yourself.  Building strong relationships with people who are positive and trustworthy requires patience, accountability, and kindness.

5. Privacy, Please

Privacy today extends beyond the obvious. A decade ago, the word privacy implied discretion in its simplest manifestation. In other words, a few years ago, a roommate who was comfortable exiting the shower without covering up in a reasonable amount of time, was considered an invasion of your privacy. Today, an invasion of privacy has much greater and far-reaching implications. In a matter of seconds, someone’s privacy can be shattered by the seemingly innocent posting of a photograph or comment on social media.  Long story short, some errors in judgment cannot be corrected. In the name of fun, think before posting anything!