On Aug. 26, incoming freshmen will start moving into residence halls on campus. While move-in day might mean crowded parking lots, traffic jams and a crowded campus for older students, it can be a day of excitement and nerves for freshmen.

Many of them will be meeting their roommate for the first time.

“We didn’t get along at first,” Maria Sherburne, a sophomore marketing major, said about her first roommate. “We never talked before we were assigned, and we were complete opposites. I was extremely nervous to move in.”

Jeremy Natter, a junior physical education major, also didn’t get along with his roommate. He and his roommate were matched up after Natter signed up for an empty room before his friend could sign up for the same room. Natter said he asked his roommate to switch rooms before school started so his friend could live there, but he refused and it was the start of a battle between the two. They never got along and ended up switching rooms after a semester, but Natter said he still learned a lot.

“It will be awkward, but sometimes just letting someone know they are bothering you is enough for people to understand. It is probably the first time they have ever had a roommate and they may not understand,” Natter said “However, if that fails, then you need to talk to your RA and RHD.”

Renee Doddy is the RHD in Wright Hall. She said she often listens to issues students are having and helps them out as much as possible.

“Living in the residence halls is an overall great experience for not just first year students, but all students,” Doddy said. “The hall staff is continuously trained to work with issues as well as provide activities, educational and social, to help develop the overall student outside the classroom.”

Although there can be issues with roommates, some situations work out wonderfully for both roommates.

Tameka Sims, a junior architect major, and her roommate are very good friends.

“We both had a lot in common like music and just got along well,” Sims said.

Sims said that they tried to stay close by eating together a few times a week and setting ground rules, like ask before using the other’s things. Sims said her and her roommate might have gotten on each other’s nerves every once in a while, but they never fought.

Sherburne also ended up getting along with her roommate in the end. Like Sims, she and her roommate spent a lot of time together and became good friends. They also set ground rules for the room, which RAs and hall staff can help with.

“Be patient,” Sherburne said. “Allow yourself to get to know the person and you might actually learn a lot about them and yourself. Through it all, you might form a true friendship.”

Contact news correspondent Stephanie Neumann at [email protected].