Bobcat Living Experience

Resident Advisor (RA):The Resident Advisor is a student who has completed a rigorous training process designed to prepare them for working with students in the residence halls. The RA lives on and supports a floor section of residents. Your RA is a great source of information and should be the first individual that you contact with a question or concern.

Senior Resident Advisor (SRA):The Senior Resident Advisor, like an RA, is a student who resides in a residence hall but supports the entire community instead of a specific floor section. From Hall Council to room changes, SRAs work behind the scenes to assist professional staff and ensure your community thrives.

Graduate Resident Director (GRD) and Resident Director (RD):A Resident Director or Graduate Resident Director is an on-site professional responsible for a hall or hall complex. The RD or GRD supervises the residence hall staff, works with all residents to establish a positive living environment and a sense of community, and manages crisis situations.Whether it is answering questions, assisting with a maintenance request, or connecting you to campus resources, RDs and GRDs are there to make your time on campus a success. You can find your RD or GRD in their office on the first floor of your residence hall.

Assistant Resident Director (ARD):An Assistant Resident Director works directly with a Resident Director to oversee a large hall or complex and is a full-time graduate student. The ARD supervises the residence hall staff, works with all residents to establish a positive living environment and a sense of community, and manages crisis situations.

Your floor section is your new home for the year and is comprised of a variety of people from different backgrounds. However, you all have one thing in common: you will be living in a shared community. Throughout the year your Resident Advisor (RA) will host events to help you get to know others in your community and build a network of friendship and support.

Having to share your bedroom and living space with someone is often an adjustment.

Our best advice is to spend plenty of time getting to know your roommate(s) or suitemates(s) during the first few weeks and talk about the ground rules and preferences for your shared space. Completing the Living Agreement together will help you determine expectations for the space and establish methods for addressing issues as they arise. Your RA will be a resource as you complete your agreement and navigate differences.

Here are four ways to ensure that you and your roommate(s) or suitemate(s) have a positive and successful relationship with one another:

• Communicationentails talking and listening to your roommate(s), especially about issues that will affect your relationship (e.g., borrowing items, study times, etc.). It is wise to talk person-to-person with your roommate(s) or suitemate(s) about any concerns or conflicts as early as possible. It can be incredibly difficult to express concerns you have with your roommate, and you do not want to hurt their feelings or want them to be mad at you. Either way, not addressing the concern will make it snowball into a bigger issue. You can approach talking about an issue in a kind way by using “I” statements. Ex. “I feel overwhelmed and stressed when the room is messy like this” rather than “You are so messy!”
• Considerationis another handy attribute for living with other people. The best way to be considerate is to think before you act. Ask yourself how your actions might affect others. Most conflicts occur due to a lack of consideration but remember these conflicts can be resolved through communication!
• Compromiseis the foundation of any healthy relationship. If your roommate likes to go to bed and get up early and you prefer to stay up late and sleep in, a little give and take can remedy the situation. Simple compromises can make a tremendous difference.
• Cooperationinvolves roommates working together toward a common goal. It may be something as simple as making sure that the garbage can is not overflowing or that recycling is being done. When roommates agree on common goals, all roommates, mod-mates, or suitemates can work toward ensuring that the goals are met.

Some common issues roommate(s) and suitemate(s) encounter are:

• Cleanliness:Everyone has a personal standard for cleanliness. We encourage you and your roommates or suitemates to set up a cleaning schedule and expectations for the purchase of cleaning supplies early in the semester.
• Guests:Everyone has the right to have guests or visitors in their space. Roommates should establish expectations of guests and visitors, including preferred timeframe of notification of overnight guests and what guests and visitors may or may not do while in the shared space. For policies regarding guests and visitors, please see the “Guests and Visitors” section of the Student Housing Handbook.
• Noise:Noises like music, TV, and conversations can make studying or sleep challenging depending on a person’s personal preference. Compromises, such as the use of headphones, can ease this common issue among roommates.
• Sharing Items:Some roommates love to share, while others prefer to keep their items separate. Make sure you communicate with your roommate if you are willing to share, and which items are off limits.
• Room Lights: Much like noise, lighting in the room can impact sleep, studying, and overall mental health. Roommates should communicate about their preferences early and seek compromises that meet the needs of everyone in the room.

If you and your roommates or suitemates encounter conflicts, your hall staff can serve as helpful resources in helping resolve roommate conflicts.