Is your student sharing their space with someone new?
If your student has a new roommate this year, he or she has already received a Sharing
Your Home brochure, which includes tips and resources to assist both your
student and their roommate get off to a strong and healthy start with their
relationship. It is strongly
encouraged that your student contacts their roommate before arriving to campus.Email is great, but having a phone
conversation really takes them an extra step forward in getting to know each
other.
Your student may be intimidated about calling a stranger, so you might
suggest that they think of a few topics to discuss before making the call. The following are a few suggestions for both
fun, and practical, conversation:
What do you do for
fun?
What’s your major?
Interests?
Music/TV preferences?Did you have a room
set up in mind? Decoration ideas?
Should we think about
bunks or lofts?
What should each of
us bring? Do you (or ‘I’) have a TV? Fridge?
Is there anything I
should know about your preference for guests in the room? Study habits? Cleaning preferences?
It is
also useful for your student to think about how he or she would respond to any
of these questions, since it is likely their roommate will be wondering the
same things! Also, encourage your
student to be honest with their roommate and with themselves. Giving answers just because it is what the
other wants to hear will only increase the chance of conflict in the future.
Please be
aware that Facebook and MySpace profiles are two places your student will
likely refer to in an effort to learn more about his or her roommate. It is important that your student thinks
about what image their profile is portraying and to be sure it is what they
want to present to their roommate(s) as a first introduction.
On that same note,
please keep in mind that first
impressions may not always be accurate. While Facebook and MySpace are
great fun, they often do not give a completely accurate representation. So be
sure to keep your student’s mind (as well as your own) open about his or her
roommate, despite the conclusions that can be drawn from their profile. Your student would want their roommate to do
that for them, too.
While roommate contact may start on-line, please
encourage your student to make every effort to talk via the phone or meet if
possible to avoid any concerns that may arise due to misconception.
