For many students, college is a welcome change – a chance to reinvent themselves. For others, the transition can feel just as overwhelming as the first day of Kindergarten, being thrust into a new environment and having to make friends all over again. But what happens to a student’s self discovery and reinvention, and the novelty of a new campus or city, when a piece of home comes with them?
Abby Perry and Talia Reichlin first met in their shared humanities class freshman year, and quickly became good friends. Now, they embark on the next four years together again, as roommates at the University of Vermont. Perry had become interested in Vermont before she knew Reichlin had applied, but with Reichlin committing there first, Perry said her decision to also commit was somewhat influenced by her friend.
“It was definitely a plus, but I wanted to make sure I liked the school too,” she stated.
A pro, in Perry’s eyes, of rooming with a friend, is skipping the awkward stage of befriending (or unsuccessfully trying to befriend) a randomly-matched roommate.
“After I committed we texted about it,” said Perry. “She brought it up, and it all kind of worked out.”
The situation is ideal for both: Perry and Reichlin got their awkward introductions to one another out freshman year, and now after four years of friendship, know each other’s likes and dislikes, temperaments and quirks well.
“We’re both kind of messy people,” Perry noted. “So it works. Also, we’re both friends and we can coordinate what we’re going to bring.”
Perry acknowledges that rooming with a friend has its disadvantages, though.
“Not getting to know another person, not branching out as much, is definitely a con,” she remarked. This disadvantage, while minor to Perry and Reichlin, is a bigger concern for some seniors. Leila Grumet is planning to study business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and she is opting for a randomly-assigned roommate. Originally planning to room with a fellow Wildkit, Grumet changed her mind because “[she] knew it would give [her] the opportunity to meet new people.” Grumet also said rumors of rooming with friends dissuaded her. “I’ve heard that rooming with friends is notorious for ruining friendships, and for this reason, random seemed like the best choice!”
But the roommate process does not always have to be so black and white. When close friends Greta Coleman and Winnie Choi both committed to the University of Michigan in January, the two decided that they would separately look for roommates.
“In a school like Michigan that is attended by many ETHS students, I wanted to find someone outside of Evanston to room with,” Coleman said. “That way, Winnie and I could each make new friends and then have the possibility of combining our groups.”
The question of whether to room or not to room with a high school friend may come down to a matter of personality. Perry is hopeful that having a long-time friend by her side next year will ease the sometimes uncomfortable socialization process.
“Talia is super outgoing, so I think it’ll help me a lot because I’m on the quieter side,” Perry said. “However, sometimes I just want to be by myself or just have alone time, and I don’t know how that will go.”
Looking to the future, Perry can see herself and Reichlin rooming together as sophomores, as on-campus living is required for two years at Vermont. Perry intends to major in nursing, and Reichlin in psychology. Between the lush setting of Burlington, Vermont, and difference in field of study, Perry is hopeful that the longtime friends will have plenty more to learn about one another in their next chapter.
