getting to know your roommate before the semester begins

Congratulations! You received your letter or email regarding your housing assignment and the name of your roommate. Naturally, the first thing you want to do is check their social media, right? Right. Well, we say you forego that action and try to video chat with them instead.

Remember the old age, don’t judge a book by its cover? Social media doesn’t paint the entire picture of a person, and we tend to fill in the gaps with preconceived notions. When we do this, we’re basically framing and deciding what this person is like without actually getting to know them first. The advantages of video chatting is the face-to-face interaction, which leaves room for you to pick up on both body language and tone inflections. Let’s face it, the written word can be misconstrued a little too easily for our liking.

Like with any new relationship, you want to build a rapport. Therefore, our next piece of advice is to attempt to meet in person by trying to attend the same orientation. This is a great opportunity to explore the campus, perhaps the city, and maybe get a hotel together. This way, you begin creating and sharing experiences simultaneously.

Establishing a great foundation with your roommate is critical for having a positive dorm life experience! Both of my roommates freshman and sophomore year were fantastic. Each of them were completely opposites of me, but I learned a great deal from them. While we may not be in touch anymore, I think of them often!

A wise RA once informed me that it’s not how many people you know, but the meaningful relationships you build with people that matters most. Enjoy the summer and get excited about your next adventure with your roommate!

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