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September 13, 2005
Letter to the Editor: Bothered by mismatch, student suggests alternate method of roommate selection
I understand the drive to encourage students to become involved in their new community. However, sometimes mistakes are made. Remember, for instance, when you moved into your freshmen dorm and your roommate wouldn’t shut up for five straight minutes. And yet we encourage people to mix with floor mates, regardless of bitter rivalries.
I already hate these people because they seem unable to turn their rap down and now I’m supposed to spend time with them if I want anything better than a quad in the Heights next year. How about we give points for knowing when to close your mouth, or being able to find your own friends? I got awfully sick of playing word games with people who spoke “Football English” as a way to introduce ourselves.
Not everyone you go to college with is going to end up being your best friend forever, and it’s a bit obnoxious that we’re expected to bond with strangers just because they’re nearby. Should we really discourage looking beyond one city block for friends? I mean, of course, our campus is tops for diversity, but if you’re looking for a little more than drinking buddies and a ride to the mall you’re going to have to search a bit.
Sure this means you’re going to be lonely for a little while, unless you’re lucky enough to actually meet someone you enjoy on the first day.
But that’s what happens when you move into a new situation. It’s part of being an adult, something we here at Hamline sure are. For real. Shouldn’t we have the social skills at this point in our lives to make friends without being bribed like mules following ethereal carrots?
A friend of mine, who is a transfer student, said his old school had a six-hour long shindig at the beginning of the year where students would mingle with all the people who lived in their building, going bowling or eating out. After this whole hootenanny you’d decide from the pool whom your roommate would be.
Perhaps we could do something like that; it would’ve saved him from having to move away from a creepy roommate.
Tony Endo
CLA Student
Posted by msveum at September 13, 2005 01:03 PM