<p>Ok, so now that I'm only a couple of days from moving into my dorm, I realized I have no idea what the campus + dorm life is like. Is it often that people will become great friends with others in their dorm like they always say and do you think it will be lonley if you have a roommate that goes home every weekend?</p>
<p>Dorm life is awesome. You will more often than not meet wonderful friends in your dorm building who will keep you busy and not lonely even if your roommate goes home all the time. I spent little time in my room freshman year because I was always in someone else's room to talk, watch a movie, play a game, party, procrastinate. </p>
<p>Don't worry. Maryland is great. I'm going to miss it this semester.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Maryland this year. He was assigned a roommate and my son called him yesterday. My son introduced himself and tried to make conversation but his roommate had nothing to say. When my son asked him what he would be bringing for the room so there was no duplication he said "nothing" and hung up. Needless to say, my son is upset.
Does anyone know if the roommates do not work out, will resenet reassign them? Thanks.</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry too much from the first conversation, sometimes people are awkward on the phone (I personally hate meeting people via phone.) In terms of bringing things, it probably means your son's roommate wants to bring his own stuff (or just doesn't care about a TV/fridge). I would have your son email his roommate a list of what he's planning to bring for the room in general.</p>
<p>The way ResLife deals with roommates is this:
First and foremost: No room switching during the first 2 weeks of the semester, so they can get a true count and roll of everyone.</p>
<p>Dealing with roommates:
1) Have an open conversation with the roommate about concerns.
2) Bring in the RA as a mediator.
3) Switching roommates is a last resort. Usually people can live together fine; they might not be best friends, but they'll be able to live comfortably with each other. There are 2 options for switching: moving into an open space (not likely), or a mutual swap, where two people switch rooms. There is the option to do that after the semester.</p>
<p>Personally, I wasn't too friendly with my sophomore year roommate. We barely talked because we didn't really have much to talk about...kept mainly to ourselves. We both brought our own TVs and printers and didn't share anything except the fridge. But we lived fine together, never had any problems.</p>
<p>It will most likely work out.</p>
<p>somebodynew: thanks very much for your helpful post. My son is pretty easy going so I am hopeful it will work out.</p>
<p>somebodynew-- where are you going this semester? Study abroad?</p>
<p>My son is nearly packed and ready to move in. He "talked" with his roommate via Facebook one time. They decided who was bringing what (fridge, carpet). He's not sure about a TV yet.</p>
<p>Ottobar-- hopefully your son's new roommate was just feeling awkward about the phone call, and he will be nice in person.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm studying abroad in Seville, Spain this semester. I leave on September 3rd and return December 12.</p>
<p>Haha, my little brother hasn't started packing yet...he has lists of everything he needs though.</p>
<p>My son is packed, ready and excited. His roommate is a very well read, fun loving English major who seems very bright and friendly.</p>
<p>I can't believe everyones packed already....... I haven't started yet. Maybe I should get off of here and start packing since I'm leaving in two days. </p>
<p>And to ottobar my roommate and I have not really talked too much other than about who's bringing a tv and fridge so I wouldn't worry about it too much until you get settled in at the dorm. </p>
<p>My sister graduated from MD and from her experiences I would agree with what somebodynew said regarding roommates. You can usually live together fine without being best friends. My sister spent the majority of her free time at friends dorms in other buildings so I dont think its essential to be best friends with your roommate. I'm sure it will all work out.</p>
<p>i'm an RA and somebodynew is right - we have tons of training on roommate conflict. if it gets so bad, reslife will try its hardes to reassign. if someone is willing, its easier, but being that housing has been tight (understatement of the year), its more difficult. but goodluck, and definitely let your son know he can go to his RA who will have resources of he/she cannot help him out! goodluck</p>
<p>^^How's everything on my future floor by the way? Everyone checked in yet?</p>
<p>My roommate seems to be a nice person.
I talked to him several times on the phone. Yesterday I even talked to her mom. We were talking in Urdu :) His mom knows how to speak Urdu but he does not. Even though his origin is from Pakistan, he was born in the US and grew up here. So he can just understand Urdu but can't really converse.</p>
<p>He'll be bringing in a refrigerator that we can share. I'll be bringing the iron, iron board and the printer. I do not think we need a TV. Even if there is an occasional need for a TV, why not just hook up the Cable TV connection to your desktop computer/laptop via a TV Tuner? Always works :)</p>
<p>I hope everything turns out fine.
Btw is everyone doing to the Maryland vs Delaware game? I know I am :) Who's down?</p>
<p>Lol you don't think you'll need a TV but you think you'll need an iron and ironing board? ;). I think I used mine a total of 4 times freshman and sophomore years combined.</p>
<p>Hahaha, when I suggested to D that she might want to take an iron and portable ironing board, she looked at me like I was nuts (which, of course, is not uncommon!). Her solution was to leave any of her shirts that really needed to be ironed hanging in her bedroom closet at home. Solved the need for an ironing board pretty easily!!
They did have a TV in their room last year, but she watched most her shows on her computer....</p>
<p>somebody new - your future floor is doing great! everyone seems nice so far, though a lot of people are checking in but not staying in their room til the end of this week/weekend. it will be a fun time once you get here :)</p>
<p>Mom wanted me to buy the iron and iron board even though she knows I won't use it. $10 for the iron. $10 for the board. I can spare $20 :)</p>
<p>whiskers, hopefully there won't be any flooding problems like on D4.</p>
<p>hahaha, i know right...that was a surprise call from reslife! commons should be fine :)</p>
<p>somebodynew- SEVILLA?! so jealous! one of the girls i lived with last year studied there for spring semester and loved it. make sure when you visit granada (which you should) you find a bar called Bella y la Bestia (yes....) -- they serve the best tapas with their drinks!</p>
<p>Lol Bella y la Bestia? We're going to Granada in November for a weekend, I'll definitely check it out!</p>