Peace Treaty
After living in McCollum Hall her first semester at the University, Yalanda Jackson followed in my footsteps and switched rooms before the end of the school year. Jackson, 2008 graduate, says her roommate was both messy and disrespectful. After dealing with moldy dishes and underwear strewn about the room, Jackson decided she could no longer live with such a messy person. "I wasn't raised to let bowls lie around until they created mold." Jackson says.
About 60 percent of KU students choose to live with someone they don't know their freshman year, says Jennifer Wamelink, associate director for residence life for the Department of Student Housing. Students opt to do this for a variety of reasons. For Jackson, though she knew a few people also coming to the University, she says she didn't know anyone well enough to live with them.
Unless a student submits a roommate request to the Department of Student Housing. roommates for residence halls and Jayhawker Towers are assigned based on a computer system.
You won't cover every topic right away, Fee says. Unfortunately, many issues won't come up until you experience them firsthand. Make sure to be open and honest about any problems that may arise, and be especially open to the possibility that your roommate is different than you.
"This contract is meant to encourage each roommate to figure out their needs and wants," Wamelink says. "Most issues between roommates boil down to a lack of communication and a lack of expectation."
Fee suggests being up-front about as much as you can when you meet your new roommate. Start out with the facts: Find out about each other's academic interests, personal interests and relationship status. Follow up the basics with specific roommate-related questions: What are your cleaning habits? Where do you study? When do you expect privacy in the room? What mood are you usually in when you wake up in the morning?
Don't be self-conscious about admitting your honest behaviors. "It's like dating." Fee says. "Ask these kinds of questions, but also be willing to share stuff about yourself."
All on-campus roommates begin the semester by filling out a roommate contract, which outlines detailed agreements to help roommates address issues such as property division, sharing guidelines and expected sleeping behaviors.
To get to know your roommate,Wamelink suggests attending Hawk Week activities hosted at the beginning of the semester, as well as any dormitory events.
Friendly Fire
Who better to live with than your best friend? At least that's what Sarah Schroeppe, Hutchinson graduate student, thought when planning her housing arrangements at Lewis
Forty percent of KU freshmen choose to live with a friend, Wamelink adds. If you've decided to do this, start by identifying your expectations. Do you expect your friend to meet new people at the same time you do? Do you expect your friend to spend all his or her time
"She wasn't my mother and I wasn't married to her," Dreher says. "I shouldn't have had to tell her these things."
Ryan Dreher, Drexel senior, says he had no expectations when he moved in with a friend, and adds that his living arrangement was fine until about three months into the semester. One night, he arrived home very late and found his roommate impatiently waiting up for him. She asked him where he had been and said it would have been common courtesy to call her in advance and let her know he would be home late.
well that you don't have to have the initial conversations all roommates should have," Fee says. "This is very wrong to assume."
August 21,2008
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