Links
HomeMaking the Choice
Scholarships
The Applications
Financial Aid
Waiting for Decisions
The Final Choice
College To-Do
High School To-Do
The Bank Account
Choosing a Computer
Communication Plan
Clothes and Supplies
Orientation
Class Registration
Buying Textbooks
The Roommate
Handling the Move
Saying Goodbye
The Empty Nest
The Roommate
Unless the roommate is in the same academic program as your child, it's most likely that the first meeting won't be until move-in day. Parents need to keep in mind that you all won't just be meeting the roommate, you'll also be meeting the roommate's parent(s).Most dorms encourage roommates to sign "contracts" so that things are in writing before they can become a problem. How will the trash be handled? How will laundry be handled? How will the microwave and mini-fridge be shared? How late will lights be allowed to stay on? These are all good things to discuss before beginning to live together.
One of the most fun conversations you can have with pretty much anybody is to ask them about their college roommate. One co-worker of mine told me the story of her college roommate who was obsessed with pigs. She had a giant papermaché pig's head over her bed, had pig figurines, pig pajamas, pig artwork, etc. I have a young cousin in college now and his roommate stays up all hours of the night and no amount of pleading makes this kid keep the noise down so my cousin can sleep at night.
Most universities have some sort of questionnaire to help appropriately match students, though not all of them do, and not all of the ones that do do a good job at it. I think three of the most important questions that should be used to match roommates are:
- Do you stay up late and get up late?
- Do you listen to music while studying?
- What is your academic program?