<p>Just curious about people's dorming experiences. One of my friends was roommates freshman year at his college with one of his best friends because at that school (and many schools?) you can request your roommate if you know a friend going to the same school. If my friend and I get into the college of our choice, we really want to room together. Do you think that it is better to have the stranger experience of a random person living with you? Will you and your best buddy roommate be kind of intimidating to other potential friends if you already seem so close? I don't know, any comments on which route you are taking or what you think about this potential predicament?</p>
<p>Both routes have their advantages and disadvantages. I talked to my best friend about this once .. Would we have roomed together had we gone to the same school? We agreed that it would have been great fun, but it would have, like you said, been intimidating to other potential friends. </p>
<p>My roommate this year is completely random. It'll be a good experience. It's a good way to meet and get to know a completely different type of person. You can still be good friends with the person from your school, but rooming with someone else opens up a ton of new doors.</p>
<p>In my opinion... </p>
<p>Fences make good neighbors, and buying out your roommate makes peace of mind.</p>
<p>I think the best thing is to room w/ a stranger. I know a lot of kids from my high school who got apartments/dorms/or houses together their first year, and guess who they ALL still hang out with? living with strangers will ensure that you make NEW friends and have a genuine college experience.</p>
<p>Room with a stranger is far better than with a friend I'll tell you. Right now I'm living with my friend for the summer in a dorm and I can't wait to move out! I like hanging out with her when we're not in the room together- it's more relaxing and less pressuring. Your friend could drive you crazy! If I had to do this all over again... I would've said no to her for being roommates for the summer. There is a fine line here and there's just this feeling of knowing what makes a friend friend and what makes a roommate a good roommate. Especially if you're still trying to develop friendships.</p>
<p>I loved my last roommate- I knew her but I wasn't friends with her really. We ended up being great roommates, we just worked out, even though we didn't end up as best friends. But became friends- but not necessarily best because we had such different interests that we could almost never go out together.</p>
<p>i would rather room with a stranger so i could always have a place to travel to (friends room).</p>
<p>besides, its like having two rooms... much bigger place</p>
<p>I roomed with a friend my first year and I ended up hating it. I roomed with strangers at an apartment last year and it was better. Just my experience. Whatever you think will work go for it.</p>
<p>i think i would room with a stranger, because you already know someone, and even if you don't like your roomate you can always switch. I thought the college life experince was to meet new people, not someone you know, besides, they say rooming with a friend is not that good..</p>
<p>I'd go with the stranger. </p>
<p>Think about it. Your friends right now, you spend time together but then you go your separate ways. Do you have to tell them to clean up the mess they've left in their room? Figure out a way to get time alone so you can spend it in a romantic encounter with someone you've met? Do they go into your closet and root thru it for clothes to wear, go thru your desk looking for stuff they can borrow? No, because they don't live under the same roof with you.</p>
<p>Reason 2: College is a time to explore and try new things. Hopefully in a year (and in 4 years) you won't be the person you are today. But if you go into college with a friend from HS they might expect (quite reasonably, actually) that you'll be the person they knew before. But what if you want to change that person, what that person does for fun, what that person thinks? </p>
<p>Most people room with a stranger and it works out fine. Remember that the roomate doesn't have to be your best friend (or even a friend). Sure, sometimes people make lifelong friends. But sometimes they don't and the experience is still ok. You just need to have mutual respect and decency towards each other.</p>
<p>A huge part of college is about making friends, who wants to room with someone they knew since they were kids. Plus you never know a person until you live with them, my best friend since 1st grade was my roommate at boarding school in the ninth grade. We literally sent each other to the hospital, got into fights, and all types of stuff. We finally became friends again this year. You will hate your firend even more once you live with them. if you want to get the total college experience- go random and dont fill out the preference card (except smoking)</p>
<p>I would recommend rooming with your friend unless you want your stuff stolen. I have had very bad experiences with rooming with strangers, but not many rooming with friends. (Besides the damn gas bill, but thats a different discussion for a different day)</p>
<p>I know right, all stranger roommates are thieves. NOT</p>
<p>-Supidity is the root of all evil</p>
<p>(stupidity spelled wrong on purpose)</p>
<p>It kind of seem like the trend is that people have better experiences rooming with strangers. I personally did too. My first year I roomed with total strangers in a suite and my roommate ended up being one of my absolute best friends. I transfered schools the next year and live in an apartment with two friends from high school, not nearly as good an experience. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact you don't really have any expectations if you don't already know the person, so you end up getting know him/her as your roommate. (In fact, my first year roommate actually CALLS me "roommate". She never uses my first name. Even now that we don't live together anymore. Silly girl). If you're friends beforehand, you DO have expectations about how it will be, and if it turns out different, it can be a let down, and worse case scenario you're out a friend you already had. Some friendships can take it, but I'd just keep this in mind.</p>
<p>i think you should room with a stranger. my best friend's sister went to college with her friend, but they decided to not room together so they could make friends on their own. i think you are more likely to meet more people if you branch out a little bit and meet your own friends like they did...3 years later, my friend's sister and her friend are still close...so still try to hang out with your friend, but i would try to meet people on my own (at least at first)...</p>
<p>The great thing about rooming with a stranger is that if they already have friends going to that school and you two aren't complete enemies, you instantly double your number of friends, or at least aquaintences.</p>
<p>but if you room with a stranger, does that ruin your friendship with your best friend?</p>
<p>No. It means that your best friend isnt the only person in the world. Trust me, live with your friend. By next semester youll be wishing you rommed wiht someone else</p>
<p>if rooming with a stranger ruins your friendship with your best friend, then i don't think you guys are really that good of friends are you?</p>
<p>I agree, room with a stranger</p>
<p>....except BMOREYO: howd you send your best friend to the hospital???</p>
<p>I lived with a stranger my freshman year.. we got along okay i guess.. I haven't talked to her since.. </p>
<p>i roomed with a girl i sort of knew (had met her like twice) my sophmore year and we got along great and decided to get an apartment ou rjunior year with another friend of ours, plus one of my friends from home. after the four of us started living together, i definately got along better with my friend from home. there was no doubt about it, and by that time i had already met half my campus, so i didn't have to worry about meeting new people.. haha.</p>