2008 Woodie Awards
Work problems out before being too rash
Catherine Klene
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Opinion
For 3,337 students, living in the residence halls or Cougar Village is a part of the college experience. The popularity of on-campus living has grown over the past years. Bluff, Prairie and Woodland Halls are strictly freshmen, while the brand-new Evergreen Hall can house 511 upperclassmen. There are also 1,455 students living in Cougar Village.
With the dorm lifestyle comes the inevitable roommate, unless a resident is fortunate enough to live in a private studio apartment in Evergreen.
Whether the resident knows their roommate or not, conflict is bound to arise. Nine months of living together in a shoebox with little privacy can do that. How roommates handle that conflict can often make or break their housing experience.
Residents don't have to tackle their new living situations alone. University Housing provides resident assistants on each wing to help students through any snarls.
It's worth noting that the RA isn't paid to babysit the residents. They are there to enhance their on-campus living experience through programs and planned events and make sure they are safe if an emergency should arise.
They are not there to mediate arguments over who ate the last Oreo or who gets to watch their television show, especially if the student hasn't even let the other roommate know there is a problem.
Whenever a student lives in university housing, they are required to fill out a contract with their roommate which goes over everything from study habits to cleaning schedules. Roommates must agree and sign off on the material. The RA then keeps it on file incase a conflict should arise later down the road. If a problem can't be resolved between roommates, the RA can assist them with this contract and amend it if necessary.
Part of the on-campus living experience is learning to deal with problems as an adult. If you have an issue, speak up, but act civil.
Also, listen to what your roommate has to say, and be willing to compromise on certain issues.
Some issues a resident should not have to deal with on his or her own. When an individual's safety is in question, the resident should contact the RA immediately. Depression, threats of violence or suicide should be reported to the RAs and hall directors , who are trained to handle those situations.
The bottom line?
Residents are not kindergarteners, and the RA is not a nanny. Before you rush down the hall to complain that your roommate won't let you watch "Grey's Anatomy," try hashing it out with them first. You don't have to be best friends with your roommate, but you do have to live together, and the year will go much more smoothly if you learn to communicate.
With the dorm lifestyle comes the inevitable roommate, unless a resident is fortunate enough to live in a private studio apartment in Evergreen.
Whether the resident knows their roommate or not, conflict is bound to arise. Nine months of living together in a shoebox with little privacy can do that. How roommates handle that conflict can often make or break their housing experience.
Residents don't have to tackle their new living situations alone. University Housing provides resident assistants on each wing to help students through any snarls.
It's worth noting that the RA isn't paid to babysit the residents. They are there to enhance their on-campus living experience through programs and planned events and make sure they are safe if an emergency should arise.
They are not there to mediate arguments over who ate the last Oreo or who gets to watch their television show, especially if the student hasn't even let the other roommate know there is a problem.
Whenever a student lives in university housing, they are required to fill out a contract with their roommate which goes over everything from study habits to cleaning schedules. Roommates must agree and sign off on the material. The RA then keeps it on file incase a conflict should arise later down the road. If a problem can't be resolved between roommates, the RA can assist them with this contract and amend it if necessary.
Part of the on-campus living experience is learning to deal with problems as an adult. If you have an issue, speak up, but act civil.
Also, listen to what your roommate has to say, and be willing to compromise on certain issues.
Some issues a resident should not have to deal with on his or her own. When an individual's safety is in question, the resident should contact the RA immediately. Depression, threats of violence or suicide should be reported to the RAs and hall directors , who are trained to handle those situations.
The bottom line?
Residents are not kindergarteners, and the RA is not a nanny. Before you rush down the hall to complain that your roommate won't let you watch "Grey's Anatomy," try hashing it out with them first. You don't have to be best friends with your roommate, but you do have to live together, and the year will go much more smoothly if you learn to communicate.
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