Roommates: what's the best way to approach it!?

<p>Even though smoking isn’t allowed in the dorms, keep in mind that a smoking roommate will probably smell like cigarettes and it’s likely that their clothing and bedding will too, so despite no smoking in your room, the smell might still bother you if that’s what you’re trying to avoid, so if you don’t go random do very open about your preferences. and wis75 makes a good point, someone who gets up at six for school now might get up at ten for class so they stay up til two, but won’t know this until after they make a schedule. Like I said in my past post, pros and cons to everything.</p>

<p>Agree with many posts…there’s no perfect appproach. It’s really what you’re comfortable with. I did the FB approach and it worked exceptionally well. My roommate and I share similar interests, but we are different. He’s from a small Wisc. town, I’m from a large metro area. We both love sports, neither smoke, we both go to parties…light drinkers…never smoke. Our approach to studying is very different although both Dean’s list first semester. We didn’t try to match sleep schedules but did exchange info to determine respect for each other. As pointed out, your class schedule will determine your sleep schedule, not your preference. As a first semester Freshman, you’ll get some crappy class times…you have to deal with it and that includes sleep and study times.</p>

<p>I was just admitted to Wisco a few weeks ago also!!
I just wanted to make sure you were looking at the right Facebook group though because there are others that aren’t the official one that come up if you just look it up in search on Facebook
if you scroll to the bottom of the page on this look under number 10 where it says request access that will bring you to their official Facebook page [Fall</a> Freshman Admitted Student Checklist | UW-Madison Admissions & Recruitment](<a href=“http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/admittedChecklist/fallFreshmen.php]Fall”>http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/admittedChecklist/fallFreshmen.php)</p>

<p>billywesty – congrats on Dean’s list!</p>

<p>Oh cool, I’m really glad that other people are feeling the same way about the party scene. I know that Wisconsin has such a beer culture, so if I go to the school (still haven’t decided), I’m also going to actively look for people who don’t drink. Which I know is possible, considering how big the school is. Also, Madison is a great school, so there’s bound to be nerds -somewhere-</p>

<p>As for the roommate search, what I’ve heard is that you can make your search as specific as you want it to be. I know the facebook page is a good place to start/meet people and you can control how specific your criteria is. If you’re really looking for a specific type of person, I know that there’s also those roommate-matching websites that are similar to online dating websites.</p>

<p>You might like this:</p>

<p>[Learning</a> Communities | University Housing at UW-Madison](<a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/lc]Learning”>http://www.housing.wisc.edu/lc)
[CRC</a> | University Housing at UW-Madison](<a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/crc]CRC”>http://www.housing.wisc.edu/crc)
[CRC-Global</a> | University Housing at UW-Madison](<a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/crc/global]CRC-Global”>Global Café is Back for Spring – University Housing – UW–Madison)</p>

<p>I’m having the same problem you are! I want a substance free roommate like me but don’t know how to find one. I joined the uw-Madison class of 2017 group and there you find a lot of new freshman concerned about the same thing. Just make sure you join the closed group so you’re in the right one. It should be all freshman :slight_smile: hope that helps! i’ve been looking but haven’t yet found anyone else.</p>

<p>I believe there is always one Residence Hall each year or maybe more that has a least one floor that is substance free. Check with the Housing Department about which one that will be for this fall. They will know, then find someone who wants to live with you in that hall.</p>

<p>Also, give the FB group time to expand with more admitted students – my son’s year has 4500 members and housing inquiries picked up in late Feb into March and April. </p>

<p>While the housing contract is due March 1 (or whatever date specifically for this year), the preference list is not due until May 1 (or whatever specific date for this year) and that is where you request LLC, rank your dorm preferences, and list your roommate if you have found one.</p>

<p>What does substance free really mean? Do they actually allow stuff in the other dorms?</p>

<p>The other dorms allow students who are 21 or older to have alcohol.</p>

<p>Here is more about the Substance Free floor in Sullivan:</p>

<p>[Sullivan</a> Hall | University Housing at UW-Madison](<a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/sullivan]Sullivan”>http://www.housing.wisc.edu/sullivan)
<a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/docs/reslife/rh/sullivan/substance_free_brochure_1213.pdf[/url]”>http://www.housing.wisc.edu/docs/reslife/rh/sullivan/substance_free_brochure_1213.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Substance Free House
Olson House, the top floor (4th) in Sullivan Hall will be the Substance Free House for 2013–14. This entire floor (65 residents) will be a coed community of students who affirm they will not use tobacco, alcohol, or drugs at any time. Select Substance Free House–Sullivan when you submit your preferences online to take part in this experience. Students who list Substance Free House–Sullivan among their top preference choices will get to choose their own room online prior to all other students being assigned. Substance-Free Community Agreement Form.</p>

<p>More information straight from the housing contract:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/docs/residence_halls_contract_12-13.pdf[/url]”>http://www.housing.wisc.edu/docs/residence_halls_contract_12-13.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the University Residence Halls including student rooms and public areas such as dens, hallways, and bathrooms. Smoking is also prohibited outside within 25 feet of any University Residence Hall and/or dining facility.</p>

<p>Although all residents are prohibited from using illegal drugs, and residents under 21 years of age are prohibited from using alcohol, if you request or are assigned to a substance-free house, you or your guests have made a commitment to refrain from using tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco), illegal drugs, and/or alcohol in the house and from being under the influence of alcohol and illegal substances while in the house.</p>

<p>Freshman experience thus far in a large highly concentrated Freshman environment: </p>

<p>I’ve never witnessed anyone smoking cigs in the dorm. I’ve been on the elevator with people that smelled like they just smoked a pack. Pot smoking in the dorms is common. Rarely a week goes by when there isn’t one night that the dorm floor doesn’t have an intense pot smell. That could just be my floor. From talking with friends, some floors are much more frequent and some friends claim to have never smelled it. I guess this is logical, but I’ve noticed it more when the weather changed to cold. I suspect people smoked pot outside more when the weather was warm.</p>

<p>In terms of drinking, extremely common. In my somewhat limited experience, more so on guys floors, or in guys rooms than girls. Nearby apartment parties are the norm on the weekends. People stream back into the dorms between 1am - 5am every Friday & Saturday nights. Pretty unusal not to have to navigate around puke on Sat & Sun mornings in the johns. Typically House Fellows leave residents along in terms of drinking & smoking pot unless there’s noise, too many people, etc. As long as kids stay in their rooms and are somewhat responsible, they are left alone.</p>

<p>Other than 2 calls for paramedics on my floor due to alcohol poisoning, I don’t think anyone has been written up for drinking in their rooms. </p>

<p>I’m just sharing this for perspective. Regardless of what you might think or want, I don’t believe this is unusally good or bad. Pretty typical college stuff from my network of friends attending other schools.</p>

<p>To be honest, Sullivan hall is not a very desirable residence hall. I don’t want to live with people who drink, whether it’s in my room or not… But I’d prefer to avoid living in Sullivan if I can help it. I’d like a substance free roommate in a better residence hall.</p>

<p>Yikes. Knowing Madison (or any college, really) I’m not surprised that there’s a lot of drinking and smoking around campus. I didn’t think I would mind being in a dorm where drinking is allowed, but billywesty’s account makes me want to consider the substance-free dorm. The smell of pot, I can handle, but I don’t want to have to deal with vomit in the bathrooms on weekend mornings .___.</p>

<p>I have smelled pot in Ogg, but never in Chadbourne.</p>

<p>I’m going to take a wild guess that billywesty lives in Sellery or Witte.</p>