Roommate Selection	Roommate Conflicts	Roommate Starter Kit

National research has shown that at least 76% of first-time college students have never shared a room before coming to college. Naturally, the selection of a roommate is a strong initial source of anxiety for many students. Expectations that you're going to make a life-long friend are just as common as fears that you may not get along. It is vital to your success and your enjoyment of the college experience that you build connections and relationships to your campus – a roommate is one of the best places to start.

Roommate Selection

By mutual request, you and another person may request to be roommates as part of your Application for Housing. You may make this request at any time by accessing your MyHousing account. Just remember, you need to request your desired roommate AND they need to request you for the match to be official. Once you have both requested each other, your myHousing roommate status will say “matched.”

Only students who have paid and submitted a housing application are able to participate in this process. PROCESS FOR SIMPLE ROOMMATE MATCH (BASED ON FRIEND SELECTION): To complete the simple roommate matching process follow the steps below:

1. Once you have paid and submitted the housing application, click on the Roommate Selection tab at the top of your MyHousing Portal.
2. Select Roommates/Suitemates and select the appropriate term.
   
   
   
   
3. If you know the person you want to room with you can look them up in the Simple Roommate search fields by putting the last name, first name, and click begin search.
   
   
   
   
4. Once you have found your friend and selected them an email notification will be sent to that person indicating that you have requested them.
   
   
5. Your friend will then need to log into their MyHousing account and go to the Roommate Selection tab and click the Roommate/Suitemate option. Then select the appropriate term to view any pending roommate requests.
   
   
6. They will need to Select the Roommate/Suitemates option and select the appropriate term and then accept the roommate request from you in order for it to be mutual and fully matched.
   
   
   
   
7. Once you have accepted the roommate request, an email will be sent notifying that the roommate request has been accepted. 
   
   
8. Go back to the Roommate Selection tab and click the Roommate/Suitemate option. Then select the appropriate term and verify that your roommate group is fully matched.
   
   
   
   

1. Once you have paid and submitted the housing application, click on the Roommate Selection tab at the top of your MyHousing Portal.
   
   
2. Select Roommates/Suitemates and select the appropriate term.
   
   
   
   
3. If you do not have a particular person in mind that you would like to room with, but would like to see if you can match with another student based on similar traits or characteristics. Complete the Advanced Roommate Search fields. 
   
   
   
   
4. Once you have selected your preferences, then a list of student matches will appear or you will receive a response saying no matches.
   
   
   • If your search yields no results adjust your preferences and search again.
   • If your search yields results, select a student from the list.
     
     
     
     
     
     
5. Once a request has been selected, an email will be sent notifying the student you requested them as a roommate. If the requester roommate does not get a response back from the requested, the requester can go back to MyHousing account and go back into the Roommate Selection tab, select the appropriate term. The requester can then poke, or email to send a reminder email or remove the request. 
   
   
6. The requested student will then need to log into their MyHousing Portal and Click on the Roommate Selection tab and select the Roommate/Suitemates option and select the appropriate term and then accept the roommate request from the requester in order for it to be mutual and fully matched.
   
   
   
   
7. Once the requested student accepts the roommate request, an email will be sent notifying the requester that the roommate request has been accepted.
   
   
8. Go back to the Roommate Selection tab and click the Roommate/Suitemate option. Then select the appropriate term and verify that your roommate group is fully matched.  
   
   
   
   

NMSU Department of Housing & Residential Life (Housing & Residential Life) will attempt to honor the preferences expressed by the Student for specific facilities, unit, Living Learning Community, room type, roommate/suitemate, or other requested options subject to the space availability. Housing & Residential Life does not guarantee the assignment of a particular facility, unit, Living Learning Community, room type, roommate/suitemate, or other requested options based on the Student’s preferences.

Students who request Living Learning Communities (LLCs) must be eligible according to the criteria designed by the sponsoring Academic department or University unit as described on the Liviing Learning Communities webpage.

Students who request a Living Learning Community understand that this preference will supersede any other room/unit type preference, including roommate/suitemate requests.

Roommate Conflicts

Conflict Solution Tips

• Try to deal with issues before they become problems.
• Take steps to deal with conflict.
• Communicate your expectations of the relationship.
• Confront the problem, not the person.
• Deal with the issue immediately; don't let things build up.
• Deal with the issue on a one-to-one basis. Don't involve friends, neighbors, parents, etc.
• Speak to each other. Don't leave notes or send emails.
• Express your feelings and needs in a non-blaming way.
• Take ownership for your part of the problem.
• Listen and seek to understand the other person's point of view before giving or defending your own.
• Do not rush in to solving someone else's problem; take time outs when needed.
• Encourage different points of view, controversy, and honest dialogue - and then respect those ideas.
• Focus on what can be done, not what can't.
• Make reasonable, realistic requests of one another.
• Solve the problem and strengthen your relationship.
• Use objective criteria when making decisions.
• If you have tried these steps and it still doesn't work, meet with your RA.

Roommate Starter Kit

• Where is my roommate from?
• What is he/she most looking forward to this year? Least looking forward to?
• What does he/she like to do in his/her free time?
• What about neatness and cleanliness of the room? How much mess is too much? What will we do if one of us does not equally share in the responsibility of cleaning the room/bathroom?
• When is it okay to have guests of the same sex visit? What about guests of the opposite sex?
• If one of us is gone for the weekend, is it okay to have someone stay over and sleep in our bed?
• Under what conditions and at what time of the day or night do we each study best?
• At what times of the day do we each function best?
• How do pressure and stress affect each of us? How do we each react when we're "stressed out?"
• What about borrowing/using each other's belongings?
• What are our individual needs for privacy?
• How will we handle payment on shared items like the refrigerator or toilet paper?
• How much sleep do we each need? What can we each sleep through and what keeps us awake?
• How will disagreements be handled?
• How do we each react when we're angry?
• In what ways are we alike? In what ways are we different? How will these similarities and differences impact our relationship?
• Do any of us have a health problem that the others may need to be aware of?
• What are our individual thoughts and beliefs concerning the use of alcohol?
• What part does religion or personal value systems play in each of our lives and what effect will this have on our living situation?