Living with a roommate

By: Gerardo Alfaro


For many if not most college freshmen, it is the first time they have to share a room with someone. This can be both exiting and scary as many freshmen do not know what to expect from their roommates. So colleges should help roommates get to know each other in order to allow for a year to go along with the least amount of problems possible, so if colleges do activities for roommates to get to know each other this can help to break the ice.

One such activity could be for roommates to go out together to get to know each other or play some sports such as beach volleyball against another set of roommates, as this can help to create friendship and build trust in the relationship. The first couple of weeks are probably the most important ones because if everything goes well then the roommates might have a easier time accepting each other, but if something goes wrong it is more likely for problems to recur.

Of course one cannot expect for roommates to do everything together, they must have their own space even if they are sharing their living space. Therefore boundaries need to be set so that they can live together. These boundaries need to be discussed by all the parties involved as well as agreed and respected. If this happens then there is a good chance for a successful relationship. After all if students can find an escape in their rooms from stress rather than trade academic stress for another kind of stress it might be easier for them to succeed in achieving their goals.