Roommates

Sharing a room and your life with another student may be one of the most memorable aspects of your college experience. Living with another is a tremendous opportunity for personal growth and for building a life long friendship. You'll encounter challenges along the way that if handled with care will serve to build the bond you and your roommate share.

Compromise

Compromise is essential to successful rooming experiences. Here are some real keys to help you along the way:

• Make ground rules immediately.
• Tolerate much more than you did at home. Roommates may not be best friends, but they can relax and be comfortable together.
• Walk the fine line of assertiveness and easy going, especially when conflicts arise.
• Show RESPECT. For your roommate, and for yourself.
• Expect different eating and sleeping patterns, and adjust to the different noises, distractions, and challenges that will arise

Challenges

• Create a roommate relationship based on respect for your roommate's personal life.
• Have tolerance for the differences that exist between you and your roommate.
• Commit to open discussion and resolution of problems that arise while living together.

First Day Introductions

Directions: Read aloud each statement and finish it with a response that pertains to you. Be sure to keep your answers brief- the idea is to get through the entire introduction.

• Something interesting about my family is...
• I grew up in...
• Some of my hobbies are...
  
• My sleeping habits are...
• The kind of music I listen to is...

Congratulations!!

If you've honestly worked through the exercise presented, you are on your way to building a good working relationship with your roommate. Now go back and elaborate more in depth about those issues. Don't be scared, having a roommate isn't a bad situation. Many people are very happy with their living conditions, and choose to do it over and over again. Just consider their wants and needs, just as you hope they'll consider yours. If you can do this, you will have a very wonderful experience with one of your new friends your first year at Bemidji State University.