RESIDENCE

Religious Views: Your religious faith may be an important part of your life; religion, however,
may not play the same role in your suite mate’s life.
Cultural/Ethnic Differences: You may be from a community with lots of ethnic diversity your
suite mate’s hometown may have been very different.
Likes and Dislikes: You may have different tastes in music, posters, clothing, and food than
your suite mate. You may not mind a little mess; he/she may like things tidy. You may prefer
to study late into the evening and sleep in; your suite mate may be an early riser.
Getting Along With Your Suite Mate
Most students are nervous when they hear they will be sharing space with a complete
stranger – they expect the worst. The truth is, living with someone else has its own set
of advantages and can be a very positive experience and lots of fun.
It is very important to remember that suite mates do not have to be best friends. There will
be times when you and your suite mate will disagree on issues within your living environment.
Experience has shown that the following issues need to be talked about by suite mates
to prevent misunderstanding:
use of personal items
study time
different sleep schedules
visitation and guests
cleanliness/tidiness of the suite
use of stereo/TV/telephone/computer
time for socializing
space for clothes/luggage
food in the suite
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