<p>I am starting my first semester of graduate school this fall, and because of the distance and financial restraints I have opted to live in the dorms my first year. I realize that most graduate students live off campus, but that isn't am option for me at the moment so I have been trying to make the best of it.</p>
<p>So my assigned roommate (an undergraduate freshman) added me on Facebook, and when she saw that I was a graduate student she sent me a message saying that she didn't want to room with me because she couldn't imagine becoming friends with someone "as old as me" (I'm twenty-two). I think it's strange that the university would put a freshman and a graduate student together, but I had prepared myself for that possibility. </p>
<p>The Res Life handbook says that roommates can only be swapped after two weeks of school. She is contacting them to see if an exception can be made, but if it can't we are going to have to move in together. Should I even try to coordinate with her about what to bring? This situation is very awkward and I am not sure how to handle it.</p>
<p>I'm also wondering if this would be a problem with most undergraduate students. I hate that my age is probably going to make me an outcast, and I don't want to make any uncomfortable. </p>
<p>Just let her know that given the chance that she isn’t able to change rooms, that you would like to talk with her about the rooming together.</p>
<p>Worst comes to worst, bend her over your knee and really give her something to complain about…Young whiperstanpers! Bet she won’t be complain about your age when she wants alcohol!</p>
<p>Yeah, it will be a little weird living in an undergrad dorm, but you don’t have to be at the dorm all that much and do all of the dorm things, so it shouldn’t be that bad.</p>
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<p>I would not worry about making undergrads feel uncomfortable. Your roommate is acting really childishly. She’s throwing a little tantrum because you are different than she is.</p>
<p>Put yourself in her shoes for a minute. She probably had a fantasy about being best friends with her roommate, studying together, going to parties together, sharing clothing accessories and music and food, etc. Being assigned a graduate student for a roommate just shattered her hopes for her dorming experience.</p>
<p>Give her time, acknowledge that you probably won’t be best friends but that you can be civil and friendly roommates, and try not to take her reaction personally.</p>
<p>If she really thinks that rooming with a graduate student will shatter her hopes for a social life, she’s quite frankly, a little dim. There are plenty of opportunities to meet people outside of your dorm room!</p>
<p>b@rium is right–you should be civil, etc. etc., but don’t think that this is your fault for making her feel uncomfortable.</p>
<p>I find it hard to believe there’s not one junior or senior at this school staying in the dorms for them to pair you up with. Kinda seems like housing dropped the ball on this one. I don’t really have any advice, other than to say the girl seems a little rude and immature. I wouldn’t mind having a graduate student as a roommate, but I’m not the typical freshman girl I guess.</p>
<p>I feel that she didn’t handle the situation correctly, but as a freshman I would have been a little annoyed about having a graduate student as my roommate. At the time I thought who your roommate was was a huge deal and I wanted someone who I would be best friends with, and I’ll admit that I wouldn’t think a graduate student would really want to hang out with me. If she plans to party and go a little crazy then she probably is a little disappointed. I would also be worried about annoying my graduate student roommate or not being allowed to have people drinking in my room, etc. She didn’t handle it correctly and was rude but I don’t think she was out of line in being disappointed about it. Most graduate students don’t party as much as freshmen…the OP could be an exception for all we know, but that is generally the norm.</p>
<p>I bet they tried to compare the number of credits and saw they each had 0/near-0. Probably works pretty well when grad students are not in the mix.</p>