<p>I didn't have this opportunity. The school I go to, though extremely close to my HS, is rarely attended by people from my school and no other guys from my grade went so I just met someone through Facebook and we chose each other as roommates. I imagine if I had the chance, I would have roomed with a friend. I'm so glad I at least knew a little about my roommate before going into school, we became really close friends this year.</p>
<p>As long as my roomate isn't a thief, someone coming on to me, or a complete slob, I will be fine. I can handle a culturally akward, bad night habits (always listen to my ipod before going to sleep anyhow), boring, psychopath, ugly, liar, cheating, pervert, ultra competitives.</p>
<p>I'd actually prefer a gay roomate personally because of the obvious benefits that a gay guy brings for a straight guy in the rooming situation.</p>
<p>I'd not want a gay roommate just in case of London's #5. That'd be horrible(unless my roommate was somehow a female). Luckily I'm going to be sharing an apartment but having my own single room come this fall(hopefully).</p>
<p>After reading London's post, I agree with him to some degree that there could be a real preference to rooming with a person you know. Random roommating is like russian roulette, but there is solid ground with rooming with a friend.</p>
<p>I think so. I lived with my best friend for 2 years in high school but it's pretty obvious we should not share a room together. Totally different schedules. i got mad at her alot, she got mad at me alot too. She sleeps at 10, I sleep at 2-3 in the morning. I went and visited her during x-mas and used different rooms, no problem at all.</p>
<p>I also believe knowing someone and living with them are two different things. I've known my best friend since 6th grade! I had no idea how her sleeping schedule was, how her noise tolerence was, what she ate, how much she liked the room clean, didn't want it clean, etc. </p>
<p>And like someone said, it's nice to hang out with another friend once your roommate ****es you off. =_=</p>
<p>I had one roommate I met online, one random roommate and my best friend. probably was most compatible with the random one and the one i met online who's my friend now. My best friend stated "I probably can survive you again.." while I dont think neither of us needs that drama and should just live with compatible people we aren't close with. I still love her though, and get along with her... just.. can't share the same room. lol</p>
<p>I also think a lot depends on the size of the room. My sophomore year I was in a 5 person apartment (2 rooms; one double, one triple) with all random people and luckily we all became amazing friends...we actually even went looking for an apartment for us all to stay together but it just didn't work out and we all ended up going separate ways (campus housing, home, sorority house) but we still see each other all the time...</p>
<p>Then this past year I was in the same set up of 5 people 2 bedroom and none of us got along with each other...we could tell from the start that it was going to be a bad year and it just got worse and worse...needless to say none of us ever plan on speaking to each other again...so I think it all depends on the random drawing and if you click</p>
<p>random people can work out and be great or be the worst situation possible..i think your first year should be random to meet new people and from then you can decide if you want to room with you friends the following year...lol...like visit them in their dorm and see if you could live with the way stuff is set out (clean, messy)...at least with a random person you are more likely to be honest and not care about hurt this long relationship if there are problems</p>
<p>Yes, I totally agree. 100%. I had quite a few bad experiences rooming with people that I already knew...</p>
<p>Having attended a residential school for the past 3 years, I agree with that statement...obviously, certain exceptions exist, but you and your roommate must be very compatible and unselfish for it to work flawlessly--or near so.</p>
<p>I think a good thing about rooming with a person you don't know is that you start the year wary of the other person's concerns and needs, so you'll be more inclined to make concessions without any negative confrontations first....but with a friend or someone you know, you may take more liberties just b/c of familiarity (some saying about familiarity breeds content), thus making you guys more prone to confrontation...</p>
<p>I've seen good, almost "best" friends split ways completely, ones who once were so excited to room together. </p>
<p>I think it depends on what type of person you are, whether you're flexible enough to make rooming concessions for sake of continuing good relations with that person.</p>
<p>what if its ur best firend for more than 6++ years....and u know their living habits?</p>
<p>@previous post.....</p>
<p>I think that would work out. You might have awkward moments when you don't talk, but I'd guess a best friend is almost like a brother/sister to you, so I doubt little rooming problems could ruin years of friendship.</p>
<p>The same issues will arise whether or not you choose your roommate from a high school friend, someone you've never met through facebook, or the random lottery. I find the best way to solve it is if you end up hating your roommate do you want to have yourself to blame or do you want to be able to blame your university for pairing you up with someone you are incompatible with? </p>
<p>The one thing I never understood is saying that you want a random roommate freshman year to "meet new people". Your roommate is one person. All your hallmates and people you meet through classes and clubs will be independent of whoever you room with. Your roommate might introduce you to people you would have never met otherwise, but that will occur whether you room with a random person or someone you've known for years.</p>
<p>At previous poster, the logic is that if you live with a friend that you will be inclined to spend all of your time with said friend, and not go out and meet new people. </p>
<p>For me, I know damn well I wouldn't want to live with any of my friends, because they stay up way too late, talk on the phone all of the time, and don't really study or take school seriously. They're my friends, but they would drive me absolutely nuts.</p>
<p>"Your roommate is one person. All your hallmates and people you meet through classes and clubs will be independent of whoever you room with. Your roommate might introduce you to people you would have never met otherwise, but that will occur whether you room with a random person or someone you've known for years."</p>
<p>This is well said and justifies practically all that I'm trying to get across. You can't possibly not meet new people if you room with your best friend. It's definitely inevitable to meet new people because you will interact with them everywhere--i.e cafe, classrooms, extra-curric etc. I seriously think rooming with a random person isn't the best way to go and HyperJulie, all those attributes you listed about your friends, theres a chance your roommate might be the same way. Both the brightest of people would want to stay up late to study and the less brught would want to stay up late to talk on the phone so if you have a big issue with that area then random rooming isn't a guarantee either.</p>
<p>at camp one year i roomed (it was random) with my friend from last year. we argued more as roommates do but ended up better friends.
but then again that was for just three weeks and could be different at college</p>
<p>If you know the person you're rooming with well, (sleeping habits, hygiene habits) and you're compatible, then do it. In this case you won't run the risk of having a random person who is completely opposite of you. </p>
<p>Otherwise find out about the friend's habits or someone online that has standards comparable to your own. </p>
<p>Those should be your most basic and primary choices of selection, if not, you might end up like I did, buying ear plugs for 6.95 at Publix and tracking your roommate's class schedule so you can avoid him as often as possible (unless he skips on a whim, in which case I decided it was time to hit up the gym/library/student center/subway/anywhere else).</p>
<p>You can do the random person thing to meet new people, but talk to them first! Don't be lazy and let the school do it for you, you'll risk your sleep schedule and your sanity.</p>
<p>If you room with someone you already know, you might feel inclined to stay on the same path you've been on for your entire life. Having a random roommate would help you try new things more, and learn new things from other cultures (geographically, ethnically maybe, religion, etc.)</p>
<p>This is really only a freshman issue. After that, people will room with friends they have made the previous year. I agree with the poster who said that knowing your roommate would be good IF you knew their living habits and were compatible with them. Otherwise, you may end up with somebody who has vastly different noise/study/sleep/bf&gf requirements.</p>
<p>BUT, it is really difficult to live with anybody in such close quarters. If you live with your high school friend, you may very well not be friends when the year is over. It is amazing how many things can irritate you!</p>
<p>A new roommate might open up a whole world of new people to you, and if you are fairly compatible and treat eachother with respect, it would be the best idea (too bad you can't know this things in advance!). If you are an easy-going person, you have a better chance of finding a compatible roommate. If you are the OCD half of the odd couple and relatively inflexible, I wouldn't do it.</p>
<p>TRUE. </p>
<p>I had a very bad experience rooming with someone I was already friends with during a summer program once. We managed to salvage our friendship some months later, but we had a big fight and got on each other's nerves and stopped being friends for probably 6 months.</p>
<p>I think there is a difference between rooming with a "best friend" and just "someone you know/friend". You yourself would know best if you could live with your best friend. However, if you just have another friend from high school going to the same school and you're wondering if you should room with them...I will tell you from personal experience that it CAN work out, but it is much more difficult to tell those people if something is bothering you, versus just a brand new person who you don't really know. It seems like when you are rooming with someone whom you don't know you are more likely to respect their space more...where as when it's your friend, you think "Oh...it's just ____, he/she won't mind."</p>
<p>Nowadays it seems like with the internet and facebook and what not, a lot of people are trying to find their "potential roommates" online. This isn't a bad idea because then atleast you know you won't be stuck with someone who is COMPLETELY different from you, because you might find someone who has similar interests/habits etc. And at the same time you won't be risking a friendship or anything like that.</p>
<p>The majority of people are glad that they roomed with people they didn't know. A small minority has problems.</p>
<p>Obviously your friends would say it's dumb...they're your friends, lol.</p>