Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab It is important to create an environment of mutual respect and open communication when sharing a space with another person.
Huskymate Agreement
The Huskymate Agreement helps roommates establish expectations and engage in conversations about sharing space. Your Resident Assistant will work with you and your roommate(s) to complete the HuskyMate Agreement in Roompact when you move in.
Sharing Spaces in HuskyCT
Sharing Spaces is a reflective learning module to help residents prepare for living with a roommate. Access Sharing Spaces during the summer/winter before arriving to campus.
- Go to Husky CT
- Click "Login" and enter your NetID and password
- Under "Organizations" click on "Sharing Spaces: Roommate Success"
- Click on "Sharing Spaces Module" to launch the program
Roommate Success Tips
Discuss in Advance:
- Arrival and move-in plans
- Who is bringing what (TV, minifridge, microwave)?
- Room decor
- Temperature and noise levels in the room
- Security (locking the room door)
- Cleaning (how often and by whom)
- Food sharing/preparing
- Borrowing items
- Hobbies and interests
- Study habits (times/areas)
- Having visitors or overnight guests
- Hobbies and interests
- Pet peeves
Be Respectful: Everyone has different preferences on sharing food, sitting on their bed, having friends over, etc. and it is important to have mutual respect with your roommate.
Disagreements are Normal: It’s normal to disagree with one another and can sometimes be a healthy form of discussions to see another person’s perspective.
Decide when and when not to confront your roommate(s). Confrontation can be the first step to a resolution and the first step toward creating a respectful living environment. But sometimes confrontation fails, especially if the timing of the conversation is wrong. Avoid starting a discussion like this when your roommate is running out the door or about to go to bed, or if emotions are already running high.
Try to understand your roommate’s point of view. You can agree to disagree, but try to make an honest effort to understand where your roommate is coming from and understand why they may not agree with you.
If you are wrong about something, admit it. If you owe a person an apology, give it. Nobody likes being wrong, but it goes a long way to recognize if you may have taken a misstep.
Roommate Myths
My roommate is going to be my best friend
Your roommate is not always going to become your best friend. Some strong friendships can be built with roommates, but you do not need to be close friends to be good roommates. The important part is that you can communicate and respect each other.
Living with someone you know from home is better than a “random roommate”
Living with friends from home may not always be the best fit. Living with someone you don’t already know can be a great opportunity to get to know someone new. Often existing friendships can be strained during the transition to college when students aren’t able to give each other the same amount of space as they did before coming to college.
The majority of new students are placed with a person who they have never met before move-in day, and we match these students based on the housing application lifestyle questions based on similar preferences.
My roommate is too different from me. It will never work.
Living with someone who is not exactly the same as you can be one of the best and most meaningful experience while you are at UConn. By living with someone who has a different perspective, you can learn about other cultures, beliefs, and experiences.
We also know that there are times when the thought of living with someone who believes things that you do not or has customs that are not the same as you can be overwhelming. We encourage you to discuss concerns with each other as they occur and try not to let things build up. You will have a Resident Assistant (RA) on your floor who can offer advice, and we also have professional full-time Hall Director(s) for your area who can also talk through concerns and help facilitate these discussions.
If I don’t get along with my roommate, I’ll just room change to a new space
We have a room change process for students to request new assignments periodically throughout the year, but our staff tries to have students address concerns that they may be experiencing to avoid being in the same situation with multiple roommates. Many times, we find that when students work with their Resident Assistant (RA) and Hall Director(s), they can develop communication strategies to still respectfully share a room with another student. If a room change is necessary, our staff will encourage students to use these strategies with their next roommate to create a more positive atmosphere.