By Mackenzie Byerlee
Copy Editor
As the semester is coming to an end, resident students continue to navigate the journey of living with roommates, some for the first time.
For communication major Evan Joaquim, a sophomore, the journey of having roommates this school year has been a rough one. He detailed his experience with not liking his first roommates and the process that came with changing rooms as a result.
“He was just annoying me until I left,” Joaquim said.
This led him to reach his breaking point and ultimately made him realize that he no longer wanted to live under such circumstances.
Not being able to successfully coexist with a roommate is something that a lot of students deal with. However, there are resources like resident advisers and hall directors that are around to assist with such issues.
There are studies that link mental health and well-being to living with a roommate. According to a study by the University of California Irvine, cleanliness and sleep schedules were some of the biggest factors in why roommates may not get along.
Having a bad relationship with a roommate can take a toll on the well-being of students.
On the other hand, there are people who really do enjoy having roommates.
Special education major Julia Silver, a sophomore, said she loves always having someone close by that she can talk to.
“You’ll have somebody to lean on, and they’ll be able to be there for you if you need it,” Silver said.
Before her freshman year, Silver said that she hoped for one thing in college: to have a good relationship with her roommate.
She is now living with the same person for her sophomore year. Silver proves that getting along with roommates is truly possible.
A resident adviser on campus, psychology major Emma Renker, a senior, mentioned that residents not getting along with their roommates is common but not always severe.
Despite this, Renker wanted it to be known that RAs are resources that students should go to if they feel that solely communicating with their roommate is not getting anywhere.
“That’s literally what my job is. Tell me, and I’ll help you,” Renker said.
Whether it is having regular communication, dividing chores or knowing when to give the other alone time, there are certain boundaries and guidelines that can be set in order to make for a good living situation when cohabiting.
“I don’t have a sister, so I think we just immediately were like, ‘Okay, we’re going to talk, and we’re going to click,’” Silver said.
As students prepare for next semester, the experiences of Joaquim and Silver highlight that even though living with roommates can be challenging, the right support and communication can make cohabitation a positive and rewarding part of the college experience.
With housing status application for next semester due Monday, Nov. 17, residential students will have the opportunity to opt for a room or hall change.
According to Residence Life, the room change process is available on Wednesday, December 3rd, between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
