Tips From an Irvine College Consultant: The Roommate Checklist

Tips From an Irvine College Consultant: The Roommate Checklist

At this point in the year, everybody has gotten their college acceptance letters and are making their final decisions for which college or university they will attend – if you’re applying for future semesters, it’s never too late to book an Irvine college consultant. Now they need to start thinking about the specifics of the campus they will be living on. Students who let the university randomly select a roommate the first year of college may be sorely disappointed.

A mismatched roommate situation can result in lack of sleep, social issues, privacy issues, and disrupted study habits. However, there are a few things incoming freshmen can do to make their roommate experience tolerable at the very least.

1. Try living with someone who was not your best friend in high school

Many students who attend the local in-state university may want to room with one of their friends from high school. It’s very tempting to ask your best friend to be your roommate knowing that you will have them there to help you adjust to a new campus. However, best friends often don’t make good roommates. Even if you have spent plenty of time with your best friend while in high school, you may have different academic goals, different sleep habits, different views on boundaries & privacy, and different schedules. For the most part, it’s better to keep the best friend down the hall and have a roommate with a similar study schedule (READ: “College Scholarships 101: Burgers and Donuts?”).

2. Ask for a roommate with the same academic schedule

If you’re an early morning person and your roommate is taking mostly night classes, this will mean that you’ll be waking up your roommate every single morning and she will be keeping you awake every single night. Students who do not get enough sleep their first year of college are often more prone to homesickness and decreased academic success. Try finding a roommate who will have the same academic timetable as you so that you will both want peace and quiet at the same time.

3. Social similarities

Often times a shy wallflower is paired with a social butterfly, resulting in total disaster. The shy college student attempting to adjust to a brand new environment does not want five of their roommate’s very best friends crammed into a room meant for two small people. On the other hand, the social butterfly, who enjoys having friends over as part of their overall college experience, will be endlessly annoyed by a roommate who asks everybody to leave. It’s much better to find someone who is also a little bit shy or also very social.

4. Ask the college for help

Colleges and universities that pair roommates randomly are asking for trouble. It’s a much better idea to have students fill out a questionnaire or give some information about their personal habits before selecting roommates. Students who are new to campus or who will be attending an out-of-state college probably won’t know anybody until they arrive. It’s definitely a good idea to ask the college to help place you with a good roommate. Tell them about your sleep preferences, social preferences, study habits and anything else that might cause problems getting along (READ: “5 Things to do Before You Go Away to College”).

In Short

The social experience of college can be very beneficial but having the wrong roommate can make it miserable for both of you. It’s important that each student has the opportunity for a little bit of quiet and downtime after a long day of socializing and study, however, achieving this while living with the wrong roommate is probably not possible.

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