Who should I room with?

Faline2
Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:07:37 +0000

Vanderbilt doesn’t do much of a “study” on how to put people together although I imagine there is some attempt to mix things up and not put people from the same towns etc together and to mix in athletes with artists and engineers etc. Davidson actually does an personality inventory test and has a high percentage of students living together sophomore year who were placed together freshman year.
Since the advent of FB, many students do try to request each other based on random meetings at accepted students days or other factors they see online. Our son showed up and got a great roommate from Los Angeles, very considerate guy, although they were not really much alike. That nice guy is an Resident assistant for next year. He and my son would not have dreamed of requesting a roommate but reality is that a segment of Vandy freshmen will make such requests now.

Freshman year is a bit sheltered as in you will have a VUCeptor who will be a support to you and meet with a group of freshmen. You will have at least one freshmen seminar to share with classmates and to get to know a faculty member. You will have organized things for freshmen orientation. You will have a random academic advisor in the faculty till you declare a major and pick a new one. You will find have Residential college (your freshman dorm) coffees teas and get togethers or even recreational sports teams to root for. You will have a faculty advisor residing in your dorm with his or her significant others and my son really got to know this advisor. There are special freshman class outings in the fall and parties.

so even if you don’t request a roommate, you have many supportive inclusive opportunities for socializing.
the opposite can also be true…even if you pick your high school classmate, the two of you can make a pact to make as many friends as possible and to make a plan to live with others by your sophomore year. One idea I suggest…is to come up with a theme, present it to the selection board and to organize a house in the Mayfield Lodges for sophomore year. Ten private rooms, Living room and kitchen and two baths. My son’s house was a huge mix of people who spoke different languages and were from different nations, different political persuasions and different goals in life. You can google Mayfield Lodges to get a look at that option but again…you have to have a winning presentation to get one and you have to get a group of ten freshmen and some recommendations with a faculty sponsor to be competitive.
Keep you eye on the long view of how to make the most of life at Vanderbilt. Just sharing a good second year option. There are other good ways to go second year as well which people might post about for you.
by the way, congratulations to you and to your classmate! Go Dores!