Random Roommate Advice

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Hello, I will be an incoming freshman this fall at Vanderbilt, but I am still rather unsure of what I will be doing in terms of my roommate. Five other kids from my school are also attending Vandy, and two of them have asked me to room with them. I was originally planning on rooming random since I am not really good friends with any of the kids from my school going, but that changed when I found out the two wanted to room with me. It's not that I don't like them or I'm not friends with them, I like them both, but I just hadn't considered rooming with anyone from home before they asked me.</p>

<p>So now I need to choose, first, whether I will room random or with someone I know, and second, if I room with someone I know, whom will I pick? The advantage of rooming random for me would definitely be that it would help me meet new people, something I need because I am in general a more quiet person. Of course, there are also plenty of potential disadvantages of rooming random, but I'm not super worried because I am in general a pretty easy going person.</p>

<p>Of the two kids who have asked me to room with them, one I am pretty good friends with and we have hung out occasionally and worked on group projects together in the past. I get along with him really well, and we have similar study habits and interests. My main fear in rooming with him, however, would be that I would spend too much time with him and not meet as many new people.</p>

<p>The second potential roommate I don't know as well, although we did go to school together for 4 years. We haven't really hung out together much, but I get along with him well, and he's a really chill guy. I think that if I roomed with him, because he is a more social person than me or the other potential roommate, I would not have to worry too much about meeting new people. Plus living with him would really be like getting to know someone new, as I don't know him too well from high school. The main downside, however, is that I could potentially see our personalities clashing at times, as he is an especially chill and relaxed person, and I know, at least in high school, his study habits weren't too great.</p>

<p>So I was just wondering if I could get any advice/recommendations/stories that could be of assistance as I struggle to choose my housing plans. My parents are pushing me to go random, my best friend is pushing me to room with person two, but I have no idea what I want to do. Any help would be awesome. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Just go random. You’ll avoid offending either of the people, and if you stay friends with them, you have places to go hang out if your roommate is ****ing you off.</p>

3

<p>Go with your instinct. By going random, you could get the best roommate ever or a roommate from hell. By rooming with the two people you are familiar with, that could be a good or bad experience. </p>

<p>However, rooming with someone you know has nothing to do with how many friends you’ll make in College during your first year, and neither does having a random roommate.</p>

<p>I had a random roommate who was very outgoing and we were really good friends in the beginning. However, I made sure to get to know everyone and not spend that much time with her and I made lots of amazing friends, without any help from my roommate. Of course, we hung out and went to parties together often. In the long run, when my roommate and I couldn’t stand each other, it was great because I always had friends to hang out with and it really didn’t matter to me that we didn’t talk like we used to. </p>

<p>What I’m trying to say is that, whatever way you decide to go…make an effort to make your own friends without relying on your roommate(s). It will be much more rewarding in the end.</p>

4

<p>Going “random” isn’t so bad because they do match you up based on your reported sleeping schedule, study habits, how you want to use the dorm (like, as study space or party space), stuff like that… I think I remember Vanderbilt’s random roommate survey not asking about smoking or drinking preferences (which can turn out to be an issue) or about some other semi-important things…</p>

<p>If you’re choosing between the two guys you mentioned, the first you described sounds like a better choice, in my opinion. The study habits thing is going to be your main concern, because getting along otherwise shouldn’t really be that big of a deal. It DOES become an issue if you’re wanting to study in your dorm (though there are other places to study) and your roommate is wanting to stay up all night or bring tons of people over (or vice versa). I would NOT worry at all about not meeting other people if you’re rooming with someone you’re good friends with. You guys WILL get out and you will meet tons of awesome people. Vanderbilt is really awesome about facilitating this kind of thing for freshmen, and you really shouldn’t have a problem with it at all. </p>

<p>In any case, ifffffffffff you’re so unfortunate as to get some terrible roommate (they are very few and far between at Vandy, anyway) or just someone you absolutely clash with, you can change rooms after sticking it out for a while. Vandy is totally accommodating. </p>

<p>Plus… as a freshman, your dorm is gonna be SICK! Congrats on getting in, btw. I’m going to be a senior at Vandy in the fall - if you have any questions feel free to PM me anything :)</p>

5

<p>If your second high school buddy didn’t have good study habits, how the hell did he get into Vanderbilt…Vandy is an excellent school</p>

6

<p>a few of people i know chose their roommate, meaning they were friends or they met at orientation and said “hey we should be roommates.” not so many of these stories end well.</p>