<p>DS is STILL not willing to say “Yes” to Bama (although I’m 90% sure he will at this point). Because of that, he hasn’t done anything to find roommates. I don’t think he even updated the housing application/profile after I submitted it. Because I submitted it early - he is in the first selection slot. How does it work if you have done no “matching” for roommates? I’d hate for him to choose his hall (Honors) and room, then have the rest of the suite filled with boys who are completely not his type. He’s pretty laid back, but…</p>
<p>Any suggestions - other than “get off your bottom and finish the housing app and look at the Facebook page”? We’re from OOS, so he really doesn’t know anyone (which explains his reluctance to commit).</p>
<p>My son didn’t know anyone before beginning his freshman year, he put a profile on the roommate finder site they had at that time, but didn’t have much luck. He didn’t feel comfortable looking for a roommate on the FB site, he says it felt like picking a roommate based on a blind date. So, he just selected a vacant room that already had three others. Although two of his roommates were actually from the same high school, they were all VERY different. They were able to get along, but didn’t become close friends. My son did find that he got along very well with the people that lived in the suite directly across the hall and spent much of his free time in their room. He opted to live with three of them off-campus this year (his sophomore year). </p>
<p>Back when I was in college, before the days of picking your own roommates, I wound up in not one, but two NIGHTMARE roommate situations (in a traditional dorm room, so I didn’t even have my own space). After changing rooms once, and having my second roommate get permission to move off campus mid-year, I was placed with a transfer student who I became close friends with. </p>
<p>There are plenty of stories out there of kids who were best friends before they tried living together in college, but sharing a living space is different and even best friends may find they don’t make good roommates. There are people that use the roomate matching site and FB sites and find the ‘perfect’ roommate who becomes their best friend and others that use those sites and find that they don’t get along as well as they’d hoped. </p>
<p>If your son picks a room and doesn’t pull in any roommates, then as the selection times go on, other people will be able to add themselves to the vacant rooms. I believe that once someone is added to the room, you can view their email address to get in touch with them at that time.</p>
<p>While we all hope that our kids will become close friends with their roommates, it’s not necessary. They’ll find friends through their classes or through activities if they don’t get along with their suitemates. It all works out in the end.</p>
<p>If you don’t find your own roommates, then you’ll end up with random ones - whoever chooses the other rooms in the suite your son selects. My D thought she’d just go with random roommates, but then I told her she could end up with three sorority girls who were never there and would always be down on sorority row (she wasn’t pledging), or 3 friends with an existing relationship where she’d be the odd-man out, or 3 partiers, or 3 slobs. My D was hoping to be friends with her roommates, so my first two scenarios troubled her more than the last two and convinced her she should look for roommates. She found good ones (and I found their mothers here). I know kids who went with random roommates and it worked out just fine, and I know others who went random and had nightmarish situations (including one whose situation was bad enough that Housing moved her after just one night in the dorm!)</p>
<p>Yeah - I’d like him to take some initiative and at least look. When I went to school, we filled out a questionnaire and they paired us up. No selection involved. It worked out well for me - ended up living with my roommate and another friend from down the hall for the next 4 years (except when we all went overseas and still met up several times). Guess I’ll use your scenarios to help him understand what may happen :0)</p>
<p>Don’t feel bad, VAmomof4, I’m in a similar situation with my D. Pretty sure she’s going to choose Bama but STILL hasn’t committed OR done anything to find roommates. And she has an early selection slot for housing so would hate to see her waste that opportunity! We’re from Washington state so she won’t know a soul … </p>
<p>Students can apply for a room change after 2 weeks on campus, provided there is space available or they can find someone to switch rooms with. Of course, students will be moved immediately in extreme situations.</p>
<p>One doesn’t need to be best friends with their roommates. In some cases, being close friends with ones roommates can make things more difficult. </p>
<p>DS told me that he had three “suggested roommates” offered by the system when he paid the housing deposit. He said they seemed reasonable matches so he just hit “accept”. Has anyone done this before? Do the matches information about my son and decide if they want to accept too? How does it work when he gets his room selection time? Thanks</p>
<p>My son is also reluctant to look for a roommate (Burke) … he’s considering just picking the room he wants and then seeing who else signs up for the other side of the room … He has an early selection time and is in the Honors College. Driving me crazy! Feel free to PM me if you have a son who wants in Burke. (He wants a Burke suite IF there happen to be any available.)</p>
<p>Well, roll Tide, he finally committed and I got him signed up for Bama bound and he mostly filled out the housing profile. It did pop up with 3 probable matches on the roommate finder. He liked the profiles but wants to finish his own description etc before accepting. Now to convince him that AA would be a good idea. We did go out and celebrate his decision tonight. I think he’s happy to finally get over the decision hump. I know we’re excited for him. </p>
<p>Congratulations VAmomof4, I think they will all do fine in the end. We are the ones who worry, not them!</p>
<p>My ds has made the decision to attend UA and with enthusiasm…but he still has done zero about finding a roommate! He doesn’t know anyone attending and I think he thinks it is going to be random no matter what effort he puts in. </p>
<p>I think this is a “guy thing.” My son got his enrollment and housing deposits in as soon as we got back from our final ASD late Monday night, but beyond that, I have no idea what he is and isn’t signed up for. I think there are enough of these late committers that all our kids will be just fine. What’s the worst that can happen, they end up in a double with a kid who isn’t destined to be his BFF? Welcome to the real world! :-)</p>
<p>Mom2aphysicsgeek and LucietheLakie - sounds like we need to have our boys connect. My DS is planning to live in Honors dorm (not sure whether E/W/S…). He loves playing Magic the Gathering, is on Robotics team, plans to major in CS or EE/CE. Not planning to rush a fraternity. We’re from Northern VA.</p>
<p>My son also has not done much about finding a roommate. He posted a profile and I think he may have looked at the others but not really sure. I’ve asked him if he is just going to go random and he says he doesn’t know. We are OOS so I do worry about him meeting people since I really don’t want him to rush a fraternity the first semester, just think it is a big enough adjustment. I’ve decided not to worry about it and let him handle it. He just committed to UA in late March so I don’t know when his housing selection will be, guessing it is late May?</p>
<p>Here’s the schedule of when room selection takes place. We put down a housing deposit very early - so DS is in the first group to select. <a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/selection_schedule.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/selection_schedule.cfm</a></p>
<p>VAmomof4, my son sounds like your son’s twin except he plans to major in ME or EE/CE. He is also on the robotics team and is not joining a fraternity. My son has not looked for a roommate but wants to live in the honors dorm. Son has a May 8th room date. If your son is still looking for a roommate, PM me. </p>
<p>(son I found you a roommate on the interwebs!) (I think it’s great but funny).</p>
<p>Have “talked” with a few of you via PM here or via the FB page … funny but I’m glad I’m not the only mom with this dilemma. DS asked me last night “so what’s the worst that can happen if I just go random … I’m sure no one there is going to be an axe murderer”. !!! Well of course, I had plenty of scenarios to offer!! I think I’ve convinced him to look at a couple of profiles and try to make contact with a couple of guys who are considering living in Burke. Time is of the essence!</p>
<p>@VAmomof4, thanks for the kind offer! If I can get my son to fit me into his busy schedule, I will definitely pass along the suggestion! ;-)</p>