Attending college and rooming with a friend can bring a sense of familiarity and comfort during a time of change. However, it can also take away from all the new and exciting experiences those four years offer. For Convent of the Sacred Heart seniors attending the same school this fall, one of the biggest decisions to be made is whether or not to room with that friend.
Two seniors who have decided to room together are Maddy Hay and Frances McLaughlin, who will both attend Vanderbilt University. Not only do the close friends assert that they would like to continue their friendship, but they agree that rooming together will help with the transition from high school to college.
courtesy of Maddy Hay ’13
“I couldn’t imagine going to college and not rooming together,” Maddy said. “In the midst of all the change and craziness, it will be really nice to have something familiar from the start.”
Rooming with someone familiar may also eliminate the risk of being paired with someone unsuitable. Along with having to adjust to new living conditions, it would be an additional burden to have a roommate one does not get along with.
“Both of my brothers had unfortunate roommate circumstances their freshman year of college and said that it really impacts college life overall,” Frances said. “I know there is only a slim chance of being paired with an incompatible roommate, but why take that chance if it’s unnecessary?”
The pair’s decision has been made with the acknowledgement that it is risky. Maddy and Frances recognize that there are potential drawbacks to rooming together, but they remain adamant that it will only affect their college experience in a positive way.
“Many of our friends warned us that we’ll only be friends with each other and not branch out,” Maddy said. “I don’t think that rooming together means that we can’t have different friend groups. We will always see each other, therefore enabling us to branch out perhaps even more without fearing losing our best friend.”
On the other hand, there are two seniors who are taking a different path and have chosen not to room together in college. Jenna Hascher and Erin Manning, who are both attending Northwestern University, want to take full advantage of the new experience.
“College is meant to be a new experience with new people, and though you can bring parts of high school with you, you don’t want to only focus on your high school friends,” Jenna said. “If I have a problem with my roommate, I would always have Erin as a sort of safety net.”
Rooming with a friend may also impact that friendship in a negative way. There are certain things high school friends may not realize about each other and their living habits.
“Just because two people are really close, doesn’t mean they live well together and as a result a friendship can be damaged,” Erin said.
It is no surprise to hear that college delivers both highs and lows. With the good inevitably comes the bad. It can be challenging to adjust to a completely new atmosphere. Rooming together may put a damper on that new experience for some friends, but it may also underscore the journey all 83 seniors will embark on come fall.
“Rooming together will make my college experience so much better,” Frances said. “Not only will I be learning awesome things, meeting great people and finding my way, but I’ll be doing so with my best friend.”
– Clare Geithner, Sports & Health Editor
