Families & Visitors
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Dealing with Roommate Concerns
At this point in the game, students living on campus may experience some roommate tension. The honeymoon is over and things are getting real.
It’s part of the living on campus experience – learning to cooperate with another person in your living space. Some tips to share with your student if she is in the midst of roommate strife include:
- Bring Things Up. Encourage your student to talk with her roommate directly instead of about her with others. That’s so much more productive – and respectful.
- Get Help. If your student isn’t sure how to talk with his roommate or what to do in a certain situation, he can talk with his residence hall staff. They are trained, kind folks who are there to help students, especially when it comes to roommate issues.
- Be Willing to Compromise. When two or more different people live together, no one is ever going to have things exactly how he/she wants it. The art of compromise takes practice and roommate situations are one of the key places where students get to practice it.
- Don’t Bend So Much You Break. At the same time, students shouldn’t need to compromise so much that they are living in uncomfortable circumstances. Encourage your student to abide by her values and talk to her roommate so both of them are bending enough to make things work without giving up key things that are important to each of them.
Roommate situations can impact students greatly, so encourage your student to try these strategies and to tap into the helpful campus personnel available to her. Things can get better, often with the help of a good discussion or mediation, so your student can be comfortable in her living space.
Helping Students Solve Their Issues
Part of our strategy involves helping students learn how to resolve their own issues, rather than doing everything for them. We’ll provide the tools – from ways to bring things up to a roommate to mediation meetings – so they can take care of their roommate situations and learn lifelong skills in the process.
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