md4me

Is there anything seriously wrong with rooming with someone you don't know, even if you fill out the surveys you get? I don't want to room with someone I know and ruin the friendship but there's always the risk of getting someone that I wouldn't want to room with. Also, where would the best place to pick a dorm room be?

jack

Well, my daughter did that her freshman year. She was put in a triple; none of the 3 knew each other before, and they all got along fine. She is in-state and knew people who chose to room with someone they already knew, which I always think is a bad idea--like a security blanket of some sort, and I really think it can prevent people from branching out and making new friends. She also knows a few people who did that (roomed with people they knew in high school), and they ended up hating each other. I do think if you're honest with the housing questions, they'll set you up with a good match. You can also communicate before freshman year, because you usually find out who you're rooming with enough in advance that you can email each other. If you start to email or have phone conversations, and the person sounds whacko, you could always get in touch with housing and ask for a new roommate before Sept (I would think). Just my 2 cents, but a student could help you more.