I may be entering my senior year of college, but I still remember my biggest concern before my first year on the Mountain: Who will my roommate be? At Sewanee, a freshman year roommate is not an option, everybody has one. However, it is up to you to decide if you would like to continue with that experience. Having lived both with and without a roommate, I have a bit of insight on the pros and cons of both living experiences.
There are a lot of positives to arriving at campus and immediately being paired with someone else who is going through the exact same situation as you. Meeting new people is not easy for everyone, but right away you have met at least one new person, which makes life that much easier. Sewanee, historically, is very good about trying to place you in a room with someone who shares at least a few of your common interests. Chances are, you can feel free to see this new person as a potential new friend. Even if you may not see something that you have in common right away, your shared space will definitely bring the two of you closer together.
When I first got to college I knew nobody, so knowing that there was someone I would be spending time with every day, even if it was just doing our homework or getting ready for class, was comforting. There is always someone to talk to. Who knows? You may have even found your new best friend.
On the other hand, living with someone else is not for everybody. Not all roommate matches are perfect. You could see this, however, as a chance to get out of your comfort zone and do something new. Does your roommate have an unexplainable obsession with close-up magic? Maybe have them teach you a few tricks, even though you think it's weird.
There is just no getting around it, sharing a small space with someone else for a large amount of time is going to lead to arguments. You are going to get on each other's nerves. Learning how to compromise and talk about the situation is sometimes the only way to solve it. If you are going to have a roommate, you are going to have to face some sort of confrontation.
I have definitely heard some roommate horror stories, everyone has. But it's important to remember that those are few and far between.
Living on your own is definitely a great option to consider if you are able to. The first and foremost pro is that you get to have everything exactly the way you want it to be. You don't have to worry about getting in a fight with someone over who drank the last of the soy milk. Go ahead and dance around your room like nobody's watching, because nobody is.
You have the freedom to do whatever you want, within the rules of the college, if you live by yourself. Do you like to keep your wet towels on the floor? Go ahead. Do you like to play music out loud while you write a ten page paper? Feel free. This can be a setback though, especially if you're used to other people reminding you to do things. I know I got way more studying done when I had a roommate to, unintentionally, make me feel bad about sitting around watching Netflix while she was always hard at work.
However, not everybody feels comfortable living by themselves. It can get lonely, as cliché as that may sound. If you don't take the time to seek out activities with your friends outside of your room you can go for awhile without seeing them. It's also nice to just know that there will always be someone to talk to about your day if you need it.
Having a roommate and living by yourself are very different experiences. Not everyone is meant to live with someone else and not everyone can handle living alone, so it is something important to think about. Either way you end up, it is important to make the best of your situation and realize that you will make friends at college as long as you keep a positive attitude and try to meet people. Maybe even friends for life....
....but that's another article.
