Gearing Up For the New Year Series: Preparing to Meet Your Roommate

With the semester beginning on Monday, August 28, the campus is busy preparing on all levels to welcome new and returning students home. To help our newest students gear up for the new year, Charis Ochu, a junior biology major, shares tips and advice from her experiences as a student and RA.

Charis Ochu is active across campus. She is an RA, a member of the chapel band, and an officer for the International Student Fellowship.

If you feel nervous whenever you think about meeting your roommate for the first time, you are not alone.  Meeting someone who you are going to live with for a whole school year is a big deal. Like you, I was very nervous about my first meeting with my roommate. Two years later, we’re still good friends! Here are some tips to help you navigate this experience smoothly: 

Reach out: Reach out to your future roommate before the school year begins. By logging in to your HSU residence portal, you can find your roommate’s email address. Communicating with your roommate before the school year will reduce the tension and awkwardness when you finally meet in person.  Feel free to plan room décor and more with them. If you are in proximity to them, you could make plans to meet up before the school year.  

Remember that he/she is nervous, too: It is easy to forget that your roommate is nervous as well. This is their first-time meeting with a new roommate, so being nervous is a given. By remembering this, you become more understanding. Have a positive and open attitude when you first meet.   

Ask questions: Asking questions about each other is a good Ice breaker. Get to know each other’s likes and dislikes, make plans on sharing cleaning responsibilities, get coffee together, etc.  

Be yourself: I cannot overemphasize the importance of being authentic. This will ensure an honest relationship is established from the start, which can help reduce misunderstandings and conflicts as the semester progresses. Being yourself also creates a more comfortable living environment.