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| Yes | 81% | 467 votes | Total: 576 votes | |
| No | 19% | 109 votes |
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Add to FavoritesI had always said that I learned more in college outside the classroom than I ever did inside. One of the most important aspects of breaking away from mom and dad and attending school away from home is meeting new people from all walks of life. You may not use your roommate as a "guide" or parent surrogate, as some have suggested. But, having a roommate can definitely help a person free him/her self from his/her shell and learn how to socialize with all kinds of different people.
Now, I'm very far removed (28 years) from my freshman year in college. But, I remember the first year like it was yesterday. I learned a lot and, at least partially, I have roommates to thank for it. My very first roommate doesn't really count. It wasn't a good match. We had little in common. I'm not saying he was a bad guy-we just didn't click. Fortunately, at the three week mark, we were allowed to change rooms on campus and I got to, essentially, choose my roommate. From that day forward, my freshman experience improved dramatically.
Now, I was never the most-outgoing guy you'd ever want to meet. In fact, though some who know me now may argue, I was actually pretty shy. It wasn't unusual for me to tell my roommate that I was just going to stay home and do laundry on a Friday night. Fortunately for me my roommate would not accept this answer from me-especially on a Friday. And, I'm a better person for it.
One thing I want to make clear. I'm not talking about partying for the sake of partying. I did plenty of that as well. But, my roommate was the type who would tell me to wake up, come alive and go with him to some party he'd heard of in town. And, while I would have my share of beer at said soiree, the more important factor in the whole party thing was, I was meeting more and more people from all over the world-literally. I learned that I wasn't the only one who thought I was funny. I learned from other people's sense of humor, sense of place in the world, sense of belonging.
If I'd never had a roommate my first year in school, I probably would have gotten approximately the same grades in the same classes and learned the same things-in the classroom. But, thanks to a roommate who made me pull out of myself-who made me face new things-who made me not be afraid (or more accurately let me be afraid, but try new things anyway), I am a better person for it all. In the real, post-college world one must learn how to be around people one has never met in order to succeed. Having a roommate, especially in the first year, can help one learn this life's lesson.
Is it better to have a roommate during your first year in college? My own experience says that you're much better off if you do.
Learn more about this author, Paul Schingle.
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No
Living on campus during your first year of college is a definite must. A student on his or her own will feel disconnected from campus life and the rest of the student body. Dorm life is part of the first year experience. You are near students who are also away from home for the first time. For most, they are in a new city or state - and do not have many friends. A lot of people would say that your new roommate is your new best friend. However I think that living in a single person dorm room allows you to meet just as many people.
During my first year of college, I lived in a dorm which housed 800 people; 100 students per floor, and a mix of single and double stocked rooms. Luckily, I was in one of the single occupancy rooms. This room was meant for two students but housed only me. The cramped quarters were a perfect size for all of my belongings, but not much more. It is important to have your own space during the difficult transition to college. Having your own dorm room, without a roommate allows a you to escape and be on your own when they need to. Having a roommate in such a small environment is a set up for problem after problem.
For example, if I have an exam on Tuesday and my roommate does not: obviously I am going to study. However, there is nothing that will stop my roommate from blasting music at high volumes or staying up all night, besides common courtesy. I have heard stories from many of my friends who describe this exact situation and how it occurred time after time throughout the year.
Having your own room forces the student to go out and make friends with similar interests. Having a roommate puts two students into a situation where they are forced into friendship or at least into a relationship where they can get along. These types of friendships do not often last for long, because of the constant struggle to find a middle ground'. The same goes for two best friends attending the same college. You do not want them to be your roommate, because in most cases the friendship will be ruined. The statement "you do not know someone until you have lived with them" holds true in almost every scenario. Until you live with someone you do not really know how they act behind closed doors.
A roommate in a college dorm is nothing but disaster. You have no privacy and can never get away from the drama that is bound to occur during your first year in college. And having a place that you can call your own is a definite live saver during midterm week.
Learn more about this author, Justin Capasso.
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