Move-In Monday: The Roommate Connection
Elmira, NY (08/02/2021) — It's August and that means preparing for the Fall Term and making sure you're ready for campus life. The Office of Residence Life sent housing and roommate assignments earlier this summer and, if you haven't met your roommate before, you may be nervous about living with a stranger. To help with the "getting-to-know-you" process, our Move-In Monday series continues with advice and practical ways to reach out and get to know each other.
Always remember that communication is key. While you and your roommate/suitemates don't have to be best buddies, it is important to communicate and try to take an interest in each other's lives. Participate in games, activities, and campus events (in-person or virtual depending on the pandemic and any future regulations), or try to have meals together regularly. These are just small steps to build an understanding of one another. And who knows, you may end up close friends.
Below are starting tips for you to establish contact and get to know each other:
Contact your roommate/suitemates via email or social media. If using social media, keep in mind that people are more than what you see in posts - stay open-minded.
Start with basic information on yourself and questions to them such as: Where are you from? What do you like to do? What's your favorite color? If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Once you have some common ground, share what you plan to pack and bring to the room. Maybe one roommate brings the sound system and the other brings the TV.
After you feel more comfortable, work on setting some ground rules or parameters for the room. Topics could include agreement on coronavirus protocols, sleep and class schedules, or sharing responsibility for keeping the room stocked with snacks.
Have any questions? Be sure to contact the Office of Residence Life team.
Media Attachments
Roommates don't have to be best buddies, but it is important to stay interested and communicate with each other. Set up regular times to connect: have a weekly meal, attend events together, or establish a "state of the room" meeting to ensure small frustrations don't fester and become big issues.
Once you have gotten to know your roommate a little, that's when it is time to set up ground rules with each other. Communicate your true feelings to avoid unintentional misunderstandings and try to assume the best intentions rather than the worst.