Welcome to College Eight!

Helpful Hints for Roommate Relationships

  • 1. Set realistic expectations. You don’t have to be best friends to have a comfortable roommate relationship.
  • 2. Have an open mind. Listen openly and carefully to your roommate and others in your living group.
  • 3. If something bothers you, talk to your roommate(s) about it. Don’t let small annoyances accumulate until the problem grows into something bigger.
  • 4. “Check in" occasionally to see how the relationship is going from your roommate’s perspective. Ask what you can to do be a better roommate.
  • 5. Don’t assume that you and your roommate have the same expectations or habits. Be prepared for residence hall life to be a little different than your home was growing up.
  • 6. Be willing to compromise.
  • 7. Demonstrate courtesy toward your roommates (and their guests) consistently.
  • 8. If you need help or support in managing a disagreement, bring in your RA instead of other parties. Don’t promote gossip and cliquish arguments.
  • 9. Encourage neighbors, friends and family members to stay out of a conflict that does not involve them so that the situation doesn't escalate unnecessarily.
  • 10. Acknowledge that working through a conflict is an on-going process. Be patient. Like any other relationship, roommate relationships require communication, care, and effort on everyone’s part.

Roomate Bill of Rights

  • 1. The right to read, study, and sleep free from undue disturbance by roommates and guests, and the responsibility to afford the same courtesy to one’s roommates.
  • 2. The right to expect that one’s personal property will be respected and that reasonable security of one’s room will be maintained, and the responsibility to afford such respect and security to one’s roommates.
  • 3. The right to a reasonably clean environment and the responsibility to do one’s fair share in maintaining such an environment.
  • 4. The right to free access to one’s room and the responsibility to afford the same courtesy to one’s roommates.
  • 5. The right to a reasonable level of privacy and the responsibility to respect roommates’ privacy.
  • 6. The right to host guests in accordance with university policies and the responsibility to ensure that one’s guests and oneself demonstrate respect and courtesy for roommates.
  • 7. The right to expect that university policies will be followed in the room and the responsibility to follow policies.
  • 8. The right to be free from pressures, intimidation, physical or emotional harm, and behavior that demeans or disrespects one’s identity and the responsibility not to engage in any such behavior toward others.
  • 9. The right to address grievances and needs constructively, privately or with the assistance of the RA, and the responsibility to participate in conflict resolution measures whenever necessary.
  • 10. The right to expect compromise in the negotiation of standards and the settling of conflicts and the responsibility to demonstrate compromise.
  • 11. The right to timely, respectful communication of any concerns and the responsibility to respond in an open, approachable manner.
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College Eight
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
(831) 459-2361

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