Listen Here
By Kelsey Nevius
@kelnevs
It’s that time of year again. While the semester is drawing to a slow close, we as students begin to think about not only how we’ll finish the year, but what we’ll be doing for the next one. Sure, we have finals and projects to finish out this year, but we also have the job of deciding if we’re going to change majors, deciding which classes to take, and where we are going to be living. Every college student has to think carefully about their academic selections and their roommate selections.
It’s not easy deciding where you want to live and who you want to live with. Since this was my freshman year, like many other newcomers to the University of Findlay, I was set up with a roommate that I had never even talked to before. Some people were luckier than others, some had bad situations while others roommates were perfect for them. I was lucky with my roommate. We became close friends throughout the semesters we’ve lived together. But, as I think about my living options for next year, they seem so much bigger—as is the case for many other freshman turning into sophomores. You might find you and your roommate splitting up, or find yourself rooming with the same person for another year. Whatever it is you plan on doing, it’s an important decision. Whether you want to live by yourself or have one to three roommates, it’s a choice you’ll have to make.
There are many different types of housing options to choose from at our lovely University—from townhouses to dorm rooms, from four roommates to single dorms—there is quite a lot to choose from. While living with friends offers you a place where many people understand you or share your major, there is also the choice of single housing. According to collegeview.com, living with a roommate or roommates requires a lot of work on both your front and theirs. The site states that communication is key in order to find a common ground to compromise on your every-day lifestyles.
Finding the perfect roommate can be difficult. While friends might make wonderful roommates that you already know and can talk to, you may run the risk of breaking the friendship while living together because of conflicting views or lifestyles. While roommates may bring a more hectic and workable lifestyle, there is also the choice of single dorms. You won’t have the pleasure of going back to friends when you return to your room because a single room offers more privacy and less noise. Of course, if you’re an upperclassman, you have many more options to your advantage, like living off-campus. Commuters also have a choice, too: to try living on campus or to continue to commute.
Yes, it might be hectic at first figuring out what you want to do and how you want to live. Some live with a roommate for their first year, than figure out it isn’t for them and try for a single dorm or room. Others fall in line with people who are in the same major and decide a townhouse is best for them, and others still decide on the route of having a close friend be their roommate. Whether you’re going to be a senior or a freshman, these choices are very important to your life. It takes a lot of thought towards who you think you would live best with or who you want to spend another year of your college life with. You have a lot to choose from, and don’t be afraid to ask for a little help along the way. Regardless of where you choose to live for next year, think about what your options are and what you can do to ensure you have a great college year.
