Should I room with a friend in college? Rooming with a friend from high school might seem like a good idea. However, there are quite a few reasons you should think twice about it. See below to learn why.
Should You Be Friends with Your Room Mate?
It’s pretty common for roommates to not be friends with each other. Is it important that you may be friends with the person you’ll be rooming with? Consider the below points:
Uncomfortable Situations
Schools make it mandatory that you live in the dorms for the first year. There’s no way you’ll be able to live with someone for this long if you don’t get along.
Constant Bickering
Not getting along with your roommate may cause arguments to frequently arise. College is already tough. You don’t want to add unnecessary fights into the mix.
Life Would be Easier
Being buddies with the person you’re living with makes life easier. Have something urgent you need while getting ready for class? Your roomie has your back. Need help with groceries? Your roomie’s there for you.
Party and Have fun
The more people you know, the higher the chances of you getting invited to parties. Befriending your roommate would be beneficial. He or she could invite you to any events their friends are throwing.
If you’re a guy, getting into a frat party is hard – fraternities don’t just let anyone in. However, your roommate might be friends with the fraternity boys.
You may struggle making friends or meeting girls. Making your roommate your buddy would mean that he’ll introduce you to the friends he has. You’ll easily be able to expand your social circle.
Study Better
The person you’re sharing the room with may be a wiz. If the two of you are close, he’ll be able to help you with studying. Even if he’s not a genius, he could have some study material that you could use.
Rooming With Your Friend from High School
Is it possible to room with a friend from school? This depends on the college you’ll be attending. When filling out the housing application form, you can recommend a roommate. If your friend recommends you, the college would try its best to pair the two of you.
Although you might be able to have your buddy from back home as your roommate, should you? We’ve talked about this below.
Pros
You Know Them
The worst thing you want is an annoying roommate. As you’ll be living with someone you know, you wouldn’t have to worry about someone that causes you trouble.
Be Less Homesick
Making friends at university doesn’t happen overnight. Living with a familiar face would help when you feel lonely.
Once the two of you start making friends, you could introduce them to each other. You’ll be able to expand your social group.
You Won’t be Lonely
College life can be hard. Not because of the amount of work that you’ll be doing, but because you are away from home. Rooming with someone from back home would help any home-sickness you have.
You’re probably going to be visiting home once or twice a year. The trips back would be more fun, as your buddy would be joining you. And they would be cheaper as the two of you could cut costs.
Cons
You Will not Get out of Your Comfort Zone
Not knowing anyone at college forces you out of your comfort zone. You can meet a variety of new people as a result. With a familiar face as your roommate, you’ll socialize less.
You Might Ruin your Friendship
You’ll be living with your buddy for a year or two. Although you may have known each other for a while, you wouldn’t have lived together. Tensions might arise and ruin your friendship.
It Can be Uncomfortable
Let’s talk about the above point. You may not like a habit your friend has. As you don’t want to make him angry, you could keep it to yourself. It’s much easier telling off a stranger than a friend.
You Might get Sick of Him
How long have you known each other? Going from studying in high school to living together might result in you growing tired of each other. Is this something you want to risk?
Related:
- Why Are College Professors So Bad At Teaching?
- How to Have a Dog in College?
- Average age of college football players
How Do You Befriend Your Room Mate?
Are you going to be living with a stranger? Everyone wants to be friends with the person they’re rooming with. Here’s a couple of tricks that could help.
Learn about their family
Ask about their background. You’ll learn more about their family, friends and pets. You don’t have to prod to get him or her to talk about their loved ones. Being away from them is probably making your roomie homesick.
Get to Know Their interests
Just like learning more about their past would help, so would getting to know their interests. Who knows? Maybe the two of you have a shared hobby or a TV show that you like.
Put some Effort
Put some effort into forging a relationship. Have study sessions and go out together; you’ll be doing things friends do.
Be Vulnerable
Probably the best way to bond with someone is by being vulnerable and opening up. A connection would form. The other person knows that you’re trusting them with personal information.
Discuss the fears that you have about college. They might be fears your roommate has as well. Just like you can speak about your fears, you should bring up anything you’re excited for too.
Take a Class Together
Is there any way you can take a class together? Or maybe join a sports team? The additional time along living with each other would result in you becoming the best of friends.
Watch a TV Show
What better way to bond than watching something together? If it’s an ongoing series, you’ll be spending time watching it every week. The series would result in more things to talk about as well.
Be Nice
Even if you open up about your fears and get to know his or her background, there’s no way you would become friends if you’re not nice.
Do you have any bad habits that people don’t like? You may be a messy person. Deal with it before you move for college. The person you’re living with would think that you’re inconsiderate.
Being nice and polite would make your roomie want to be friends with you. Perform acts of kindness – offer to make/buy dinner.
Talk
The only way to become close to someone is by regularly speaking to them. You may be a shy person. Force yourself out of your shell.
If you’re lucky, you might get a roommate that would force you to be more social.
Depending on the college you’re going to, you might be able to room with your best friend. You and they would have to put each other’s names in the recommended list on your housing applications. Should you room with a friend from high school, though? The two of you have known each other for a while. However, you probably haven’t lived together. If tensions arise, you’ll be putting your friendship at risk. Rooming with a stranger would be a smart idea. Here’s how you can befriend someone:
- Open up about yourself
- Watch shows/movies together
- Be talkative
- Be nice
- Get to know their interests
