Roommates
look for perfect match
By
Andria Banks
On-line Forty-Niner
During
the past two weeks approximately 10 to 12
students residing in the dormitories were
able to say good-bye to one roommate and
hello to another.
Some
students who have made formal complaints
and requested to change rooms were denied
because they could not find anyone to switch
dorms with them.
Reasons
for some students requesting a dorm change
were noise in their building, while others
just could not get along with their roommates.
Jasmine Winfield of Parkside Commons was
one of those students who recently traded
roommates.
"We
are just not compatible," she said.
Many
students find themselves in a perfect living
situation. Some just happen to room with
friends from high school, like Ali Lewis
of Los Cerritos, while others have brought
the comforts of home to the dorms as did
twin sisters Shauntae and Shauntel Smith.
Most
of the complications in the dorms come form
first year residents. Second- and third-year
residents seem to have the same roommates
as they did the previous year.
Ed Murawski, associate director of residential
life, said that around 900 students returned
to the dorms from last year. The dorms capacity
holds nearly 2,000 students, so about 45
percent of them returned for another year.
There has been a decrease in dorm changes
from last year, including a decrease in
roommate complaints, he said.
After residents have lived together for
a couple of months they have to sign roommate
agreements, which is a series of question
to see how the students are getting along.
The majority of students are getting along
great with their roommates or have found
ways to tolerate them.
"We
don't talk that much, but when we do we
have great conversations," said Frank
Johnson II of Parkside Commons.
A
universal issues in the dorms are boyfriend
and girlfriend situations. Some students
have an understanding with their roommates,
while others feel as if their privacy is
being slightly invaded. The living space
is already limited so to constantly have
a third or fourth body in the room can add
to discomfort.
When
resident assistant Dana Owens is approached
with issues from tenants in her building
she simply explains, "You should try
to solve your own problems before bringing
someone else into it." So far, she
said, this technique has worked well for
her.
Past
dorm hall residents experienced the same
problems as the current residents. Last
year Brandon Brooks moved from Parkside
Commons to Los Alamitos. His first roommate
allegedly had an odor problem that was embedded
in the room. His second roommate left school
in the middle of the semester. He was left
with a dorm to himself for the remainder
of the year.
The
majority of students were excited to leave
their parents' homes for the first time
to experience the "college life."
"Freedom fa'sho," said Quentin
Brooks eager to move away from home.
Most
said they were excited to move into the
dorms and many were looking forward to having
a roommate.
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