College living without a roommate has both privileges and drawbacks

Credit: Steve Schirra

Freshman pre-med major Corey Thompson does not have to worry about someone asking him to take down the half-naked poster of rapper Lil’ Kim hanging over his television set in his room.

Nor is he losing sleep over the idea of someone using the last drop of his bottle of Frank’s Red Hot hot sauce sitting safely in the cabinet behind his desk while he’s in class.

All of his belongings sit exactly where he last set them, and that is just the way he likes it.

Thompson lives on the third floor of Terrace Hall which consists of many students, like himself, who would rather live alone than share their residence hall room with a roommate.

“For some, living with another person can be a distraction,” said Joe Wiggins, a resident assistant on the third floor of Terrace Hall.

He said some students tend to need more privacy than others.

Thompson said that one of his biggest issues with having a roommate is cleanliness.

“I don’t want to come back to my room and see clothes on the closet floor,” he said.

Freshman paralegal major Nolan Larsen said honesty is his major concern.

“People can’t be trusted,” he said.

In the past he had a roommate steal from him, Larsen said.

“Living by myself lets me keep track of the traffic flow going in and out of my room,” he said.

The extra space is a also definite plus, Larsen said.

“It’s the same room with one less dresser, desk, bed and person,” he said.

However, freshman biology major Jeff Clark said he enjoys having a roommate because he can explore different cultures. He said right now he is sharing his room with an Italian student, and it’s a great learning experience.

“I’m cool with the way I’m set up now, but if I shared my room with someone who was messy or someone who I didn’t get along with, I might want my own room,” Clark said.

Wiggins said the third floor of Terrace Hall is a chilled out and relaxed environment.

“They’re grown and just want their freedom,” he said. “I can understand that.”

Nonetheless, living alone does have its disadvantages. Thompson said he gets bored sometimes.

“That’s one of the benefits of sharing a room,” he said. “With every roommate there is the possibility of starting a life-long friendship.”

Contact student life reporter Aja Brown [email protected].