Roommate Conflict & Finding a New Roommate

Residents seeking a new roommate for this current academic year can take several steps to resolving existing roommate conflicts.

Ways to Resolve a Roommate Conflict

• Do you need to set some simple ground rules with your roommate?

  • Complete a roommate agreement. This document positively reviewed by residents includes many aspects of living together including activity schedules, personal item use, cleanliness expectations, guest guidelines, and more. Your resident assistant (RA) can guide you two through filling out the form together if you prefer someone to help lead the conversation.

• Do you like your roommate but you're not sure why there's tension?
  • An RA can also perform a mediated conversation. If there are concerns about your roommate that you want to share but are unsure how to say it, a mediator can help you. You can also have a chance to hear your roommate's thoughts in an environment with a helper at your side.
• Do you need some space?
  • Not everyone's roommate is their best friend. Sometimes a roommate is a person you can share a living space and we need our own space and people outside of this relationship to be ourselves. Consider coordinating opposite schedules so during the day each of you is using the room at opposite times until bed time. What study spaces can either of you use to give the other roommate some space? Which clubs or friend groups can welcome you elsewhere at certain times? This give and take should be mutual and an RA can help discuss an even effort on everyone's behalf.

Need a Roommate Form

If your resident assistant has tried to help but you're still feeling conflict, if you have another person who you just prefer to be roommates with more, or if you want to be in a different building and you want to find someone with an open space there, please complete:

Need a Roommate Form

Completing this form will give you access to a list of others also searching for a roommate. Check back often to review new student entries. It is your responsibility to contact folks and contact Residence Life about a new pairing. Once a new pairing is determined, both students should delete their roommate entries to avoid other students contacting them when they are no longer available. 

Casual roommate socials occur during most Wednesdays of Block Break during dinner in the Hilltop Cafe for those seeking new roommates that they can meet in person. A table in the Hilltop will have a sign signaling it is the roommate social table and all students sitting there are curious about exploring new roommates or buildings. Students can stop by and chat shortly with others or have their meal there if they prefer. There is no formal program.

Students who do not find a new roommate may be subject to the consolidation process.