Chance your fate with random roommate
Stephanie Howe
Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: Opinion
At the beginning of every February, students rush to renew their housing contracts or, if they are able to, sign leases to rent local homes with friends. However, this process shouldn't be rushed through.
I'll be the first to admit I couldn't have been happier to have the opportunity to move out of the residence halls. That is, until I met my new roommate last year. She was exactly what my previous roommates weren't, and I believe that is what led us to get along so well.
We were randomly paired up after taking the University Housing and Dining Services questionnaire and placed into Higgins Hall on the same floor as some of my other friends who had also been randomly paired together and still remain roommates today.
Roommate pairing is based on a set of questions about things like bedtime, personal habits such as smoking and your opinion on things of a sexual nature happening in your room. What do these things tell us? That we are compatible on some levels, but could totally be opposites on some of the most important aspects that it forgets to mention, like stress levels, boyfriends/girlfriends, family situations, organization and mutual respect for others' property.
Believe it or not, many troubles come from the simple idea of sharing. It doesn't come naturally to some people, and living in a small space certainly doesn't make it any easier.
Don't be afraid to try something new next semester. Being paired with a random person is not as frightening as it used to be. Thanks to Web sites like Facebook, you can see who they are by simply befriending them and tactfully, well, stalking them. It seems a bit creepy, but just looking at their information and photos will tell you a lot about the person they are.
You can also tell a lot about people by reading their personal information section. Generally, people are pretty honest, and the way they talk about themselves will tell you if you will get along or not. If you are a laid-back person who likes nothing more than to sit in your room and watch TV and study all weekend, you probably aren't going to want a roommate whose personal information just screams constant partier.
While there is always the chance that you may end up with a closet partier, the ever-studious room hermit, the hall streaker or drama queen, you may also find yourself paired with a friend you will have for the rest of your life, who will be there for you no matter what happens during the year.
They could become that someone that will carry your books if you should happen to become the one-legged crutch wonder on campus from a tragic drunken high heel accident or, well, just someone to be there when the going gets tough.
I'll be the first to admit I couldn't have been happier to have the opportunity to move out of the residence halls. That is, until I met my new roommate last year. She was exactly what my previous roommates weren't, and I believe that is what led us to get along so well.
We were randomly paired up after taking the University Housing and Dining Services questionnaire and placed into Higgins Hall on the same floor as some of my other friends who had also been randomly paired together and still remain roommates today.
Roommate pairing is based on a set of questions about things like bedtime, personal habits such as smoking and your opinion on things of a sexual nature happening in your room. What do these things tell us? That we are compatible on some levels, but could totally be opposites on some of the most important aspects that it forgets to mention, like stress levels, boyfriends/girlfriends, family situations, organization and mutual respect for others' property.
Believe it or not, many troubles come from the simple idea of sharing. It doesn't come naturally to some people, and living in a small space certainly doesn't make it any easier.
Don't be afraid to try something new next semester. Being paired with a random person is not as frightening as it used to be. Thanks to Web sites like Facebook, you can see who they are by simply befriending them and tactfully, well, stalking them. It seems a bit creepy, but just looking at their information and photos will tell you a lot about the person they are.
You can also tell a lot about people by reading their personal information section. Generally, people are pretty honest, and the way they talk about themselves will tell you if you will get along or not. If you are a laid-back person who likes nothing more than to sit in your room and watch TV and study all weekend, you probably aren't going to want a roommate whose personal information just screams constant partier.
While there is always the chance that you may end up with a closet partier, the ever-studious room hermit, the hall streaker or drama queen, you may also find yourself paired with a friend you will have for the rest of your life, who will be there for you no matter what happens during the year.
They could become that someone that will carry your books if you should happen to become the one-legged crutch wonder on campus from a tragic drunken high heel accident or, well, just someone to be there when the going gets tough.
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