Roommate Relationships
New
roommates need to talk to each other. Filling
out a Roommate Contract is a great way to keep
responsibilities and preferences defined. You
will want to discuss some issues that have the
potential to lead to disagreement and conflict.
By discussing these issues and agreeing on how
the issue will be handled, you can avoid some
future problems. More importantly, however, you
and your roommate(s) will be establishing a pattern
of open communication and mutual understanding.
You can begin the communication process by contacting
your roommate(s) once you receive their name(s).
A good way to initiate this conversation is to
discuss the items that you are bringing with you
to your new home. Here are some other things you
may want to discuss:
Communication: It’s most
helpful to always strive to keep the lines of
communication open between you and your roommate(s).
Chances are good that if something about the living
situation is bothering you, it is bothering your
roommate(s) too, so talk about it.
Belongings:
Before you move in you should talk about whose
TV you want to have in your room, who is buying
toilet paper at what time, etc. You may want to
find out your roommate’s feeling about lending
his/her belongings to other people, including
you. These items may include: clothes, money,
hair dryers, stereos, cars, etc.
Cleaning:
You may want to discuss who cleans what and when.
Talk about dividing all the cleaning responsibilities.
If someone isn’t doing their part, talk
it over with each other. Define what "cleaning"
means, because everyone has their own interpretation
of the word!
Guests: It’s also helpful to make specific agreements about
the time visitors will be welcome and about entertaining guests.
Always consider a roommate’s
side of the situation, particularly when they
have a heavy load of exams or papers. After you
have established some guidelines with which you
can live comfortably, you may want to make an
agreement to discuss this issue again any time
either of you has a concern, as well as any other
issues.
Respect:
Whether your roommates are very similar to you
or very different from you, it is important to
respect them. They are as much an individual as
you are. Not everyone is alike or does things
in the same way. While you are living in the residential
communities, you will make other friends and get
involved in activities that are interesting and
pertinent to you. It is not wise to depend on
your roommate(s) to fulfill your every emotional
and social need.
Finally,
spend some time with your roommate(s). Get to
know each another better. This will assist you
if problems arise later. Find out your common
interests and build on them.
Each student has rights as a roommate. Conversely, each person should
work to be the type of roommate who supports these rights:
- The right to read, study, and sleep with as little disturbance as possible.
- The right to have personal belongings that are used by no one else.
- The right to expect reasonable cooperation in the use of shared space
& items (bathrooms, living areas in the unit, appliances, telephones,
etc.).
- The right to live in a clean and orderly room.
- The right to free access to your room and facilities without pressure
from your roommate.
- The right to host guests within the parameters agreed upon by roommates,
provided they respect the rights of roommate(s).
- The right to speak openly.
- The right to be treated with care, consideration, and thoughtfulness.
These
rights and responsibilities apply not only to
roommates, but also to other students living on
the floor, in the residence halls and the apartments.
You will have an opportunity to discuss the issues
of respect between residents in your first floor
meeting with your Resident
Assistant. The Office of Residence Services
certainly cannot control residents if the above
rights are not met. However, we do realize that
sometimes roommates just cannot get along because
they are too incompatible. For this reason, we
do have a process for changing rooms. We do allow
unit switching, if space allows, from the beginning
of the third week of classes until the end of
the eighth week of classes during each quarter.
Just A Reminder:
Roommate requests based on race, sexual orientation,
religion, age, or major will not be considered.
In the absence of a roommate request, the Residence
Services staff will assign roommates without regard
to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin,
age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
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