Roommates: Best Friend versus Stranger

Everyone says that you shouldn't follow your best friend to college. But what if both of you just happen to get accepted to the same awesome university? Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding whether to live with your best friend.

What style of dorm are you trying to live in?

If you read our article about the different styles of dorms at UVA, you’d know that UVA offers several different housing options, from style and layout of the dorm to number of people to a room. Life is about compromise, but if your potential roommate absolutely has to be in old dorms so they’re five minutes away from classes, but you’d rather be in new dorms and next to the Aquatic Fitness Center, maybe it’s time to reconsider. Your preferred housing location is not guaranteed, but if it’s important to you then why not take the risk?

Do you really want to room with someone you’re already close to?

It sounds like the ideal situation. Rooming with your best friend is a good starting point for being reasonably certain that you'll get along well, or at least that they’ll be courteous. But on the other hand, odds are you'd see them around grounds anyways. By staying close to your high school friend group, you're missing a prime opportunity to make your first new college friend. As someone you'll see on a daily basis, you're almost guaranteed to get to know them. Sure, sometimes it's a relationship best left at the level of close acquaintances. But it could also pay off in a big way.

Does the housing survey really work?

So maybe you don’t have a best friend who’s going to UVA, and you’re stuck with the stranger aspect of things. Not to worry, UVA’s survey has your back! But whether you like to clean weekly or bi-yearly is only a surface-level issue. It’s the minimum necessary requirement for being compatible to live with somebody. But we can shoot for more than peaceful coexistence - get to know the person a little before committing to living with them. A great way to meet rising first years is through a UVA Facebook group - every year there’s a new housing and roommate search group chat, and a simple search will help you find one for the Class of 2026.

What if I don't get along with my roommate?

There's a chance you won't get along with your roommate. It’s not uncommon - there's a huge difference between hanging out for a few hours every day after school and sharing a room with someone. Communication is key to making sure both of you stay on the same page. Your Residence Advisor (RA) is there to help - if you’re having trouble you can reach out to them, and they can try to mediate for you. But if all attempts at conflict resolution fail, reach out to UVA’s Housing & Residence Life. While it’s not guaranteed, they may be able to facilitate a mid-year roommate transfer in a pinch.

Remember, it's just for the year.

Every year, you'll get the chance to pick a new housing assignment. It'll be a new chance to share a room with someone new, or get your own personal space and live in a single. You have more control over your living situation after first year, and you'll know a lot more people from UVA to choose from. If your first roommate doesn't work out, keep note of what you did and didn't like and you'll only be better equipped to choose the perfect roommate next year.