If you’re like me and have never shared a room with anyone before, the thought of living with a stranger your first year of college is kind of scary. You have no idea who this person is, what they are like, or if you will get along.

There are a couple of different scenarios that could play out. The first one is that you will get along great. You share similar interests and you both have the same values. His or her half of the room is clean and your half of the room is clean, he or she picks up after themselves and is respectful. You may have some classes together if you are in the same major. The year will go by smooth, and you won’t feel like you need to go home every weekend to get away from your roommate.

The other scenario that is less likely, but could happen, is that you just don’t click with your roommate. Maybe you have different personalities, maybe he or she is a night owl and you’re an early bird, maybe they’re just way too messy or a neat freak. There are a lot of different reasons why you may not click with your roommate. But/However, for the most part, you will find that you are matched up with someone that you will get along with.

For those of you who don’t know, Southern Vermont College (SVC) has a day that is called “Accepted Students Day”.  This is where every accepted student comes with their family to get to know the SVC campus. You get to meet with the RA’s and get to know some of the other accepted students that will be in your graduating class. You may even meet your roommate for freshman year.

Some things to know as an incoming freshman, transfer student, or returning student are the dorm options and what style living they offer. There are six dorms to pick from, Aldis Hall, Bowen Hall, Cady Hall, Darby Hall, Ellinwood Hall, and Hunter Hall. Aldis through Ellinwood are three floors with six suites on each. In each suite there are four, two-person rooms. In Hunter you have three different wings to choose from, North, South, and West. Each wing has three floors. Every floor is a suite, and there are two to four hallways in each suite that house three  to five people. The difference in these rooms is that every room in Hunter Hall is a single, which means that you live by yourself and not with a roommate, but a suitemate.

Aldis and Bowen can be used for Freshman students as well as upperclassmen. If you are an incoming freshman, chances are you will be living in Cady, Fall 2017. Cady is also sometimes  used for upperclassmen and transfer students. Aldis, Bowen, and Cady are all considered dry housing (no alcohol). Darby, Ellinwood, and Hunter are primarily for upperclassmen because alcohol is permitted in suites where everyone is 21 years or older. If you are a non-traditional student, you can apply for housing in Hunter.

The person you live with your first year of college is someone you will never forget. They may be the first friend you make at college, and they may be one of your fellow graduates.

Copyright © Monica Frost (2017) All Rights Reserved.