Admissions Blog Posts

The Do’s and Don’ts of Living with a Roommate


Last updated October 23, 2020

By Web Admin

Living with a roommate for the first time can be very challenging. It’s an adjustment for everyone, but it’s completely understandable to be worried about it. Finding out who my roommate would be was one of the MOST stressful and exciting things about starting college! Everyone gets so nervous about what room they’re in and who they’ll be sharing a space with for the next year. Living with someone can be so much fun!! A respectful relationship with your roommate is always the goal, but here are some of the best tips that have helped me during my freshman year.

DO – Answer the questions on the roommate survey truthfully!!

At Furman, all freshman roommates are randomly assigned. You fill out a survey with about 10 questions at the beginning of summer. These questions ask about cleanliness level, when you go to sleep, if you want your room to be used for socializing or studying, and other things like that. They also ask about things like your music taste which really helps to match personalities. It’s SOO important to answer these questions honestly because if you’re messy at home, you’ll probably still be messy in your dorm (no matter how much you want to convince yourself that you’ll change and be organized in college). This is one of the best ways to ensure that you and your roommate will work out. Furman does a great job at pairing freshman roommates. Even though it’s random, most pairings work out even if you don’t become best friends.

DON’T – Do things that could make your roommate uncomfortable

When in doubt, ask before you do something. Don’t play loud music if your roommate is trying to study or have people over if they aren’t comfortable with it. Talk with your roommate about boundaries because that can prevent future issues. Communication is key – talking about any problems you have is so important because holding that in will just make things worse.

DO – Be a considerate roommate

Make sure you do your part. Clean up after yourself and wear headphones if you listen to music or are on the phone. Respect when your roommate wants to sleep and be quiet if they are trying to study. Stick to your side and try to keep it as clean as you can. If you want to borrow something, always ask first!

DON’T – Expect your roommate to be your best friend

Most of the time when you get a random roommate, you won’t end up being best friends. If you do, that’s so great!! Y’all really just have to get along well enough to live in the same room together for a year though. That’s it! Sometimes it works out where you end up living with your best friend, but just know that isn’t usually the case. You can have separate friend groups or hang out together all the time. Whatever works for y’all, but don’t go into your freshman year thinking that you and your roommate will always be inseparable.

Living with a roommate can definitely be difficult, but as long as you talk to them about any issues and are willing to compromise, everything will work out. If you have any more questions about adjusting to living with a roommate or if you want to hear more about my experience, I’m always here!

ALL the love!

Andersen