Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Breaking the Ice with Your New Roommates

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Krystal Rubio
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Angeline Bernabe
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal State LA chapter.

 

So Fall is finally here! A new quarter is starting. The dorms are overfilling. The wait list drags on as more and more people continue to apply to live in CSULA Housing. Many of us are getting ready to live on our own. For some of us it’s new; for others it may just be moving in with a new “roomie”. 

Although all of us CSULA collegiettes are stoked and can’t wait for the so called “dorm life,” when we sit back and think about who we may get roomed with, it can be very scary. We’ve all seen scary college movies about roomies not getting along and others where roommates become best of friends. So what are we to expect? Who will be the lucky winner to fit this position? Will you two get along? What will you talk about? What does she like? 

I mean, this is the gal you will be seeing every single day for the next few months! With that said, start off on the right foot and be an expert on breaking the ice. Here are some great tips to get you going. 

Give a helping hand

Whether she’s cleaning up a bit or simply unpacking, let her know you are there to help.  

Decorate

In my opinion, this is the most exciting part! Who doesn’t like to decorate? Transform the plain and empty dorm room by adding life to it (lights, paintings, vases etc…) and make it feel homey and stylish. Do this together so that the both of you feel connected. Maybe you’ll even find some similarities and talk about topics relating to style and fashion.

Take a tour of the campus

So that neither of you feel lost nor lonely, get a clearer sense of your community by touring the campus! Walking through the campus allows you to find spaces you’ve never thought to come across before. Maybe during another time, the two of you can hang outside at that same spot and meet new people. 

Go grocery shopping!

Or play it safe with pizza. If you guys are tired of unpacking, pizza is the easiest and fastest food to get on the table, which is a perfect opportunity to continue on with Q and A.

Share music

Fill the air with sound! This way you ease the tension and lighten the mood.  

Most importantly: smile, be nice, and just be yourself!

The best part of having a roommate is that you are never alone. You have someone there for you at all times. Go ahead and break the ice. 

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Angeline Bernabe

Cal State LA

Angeline is a dual major in Broadcast Journalism and Public Relations at California State University, Los Angeles. Being a Staff Reporter for The University Times, a writing tutor, and a Golden Eagle Radio Talk Show Host for the Her Campus inspired show: "Head Over Heels" are among the many things she is involved with on campus. She dreams of becoming a news reporter someday like Christiane Amanpour or Ann Curry but until then, documents her journalism journey on her blogs, "The Roaring 20's" and "On the Record," which you can find at angelinebernabe.wordpress.com. When she's not busy, she loves to paint, read, eat at all the hip L.A. spots, and try her hand at cooking new dishes.