When it comes to moving to college for the first time, there’s a lot to think about and consider. Which residence hall should you be in? What will your room look like? What should you bring? And many times the biggest question mark is… who will be your roommate? In this post, we’ll cover a few key things to know about UNE’s roommate selection process including the choice to select or be matched with your future roommate. We also check in with a couple current UNE students who share how they navigated their first-year living experience.
Getting Started
Before we cover the ins-and-outs of the roommate selection process, we wanted to remind our accepted students about the May 1 enrollment deposit deadline. Submitting your enrollment deposit not only guarantees your spot in the incoming class, but once we receive your deposit, you become eligible to complete the Housing and Dining application. The application is where you’ll select roommate and residence hall preferences.
Housing Overview: Looking for a quick refresher on housing at UNE (first-year residence halls, rooms, and more)? Check out our Housing 101 blog post.
Housing Application
The Housing and Dining application for Fall 2023 is now live, and it’s your first step to start your housing process. As mentioned above, once you’ve submitted your enrollment deposit and have your UNE login information, you can start your application by heading to une.edu/newnoreasters. From there, go to step three and log into Residence, the system you will use to fill out and submit your housing application. The application also includes your dining contract information, as well as your housing contract for the upcoming academic year, housing accommodation requests, and, of course, the roommate questionnaire.
Quick Guide to the Housing and Dining Application: This short video shows you inside the application and is a quick reference to help you through the process.
Let’s Talk Roommates
An important part of your housing application is the roommate questionnaire. This information is what will be used to match you with a roommate. The survey includes questions about your morning and night routines, your level of cleanliness, study habits, and more.
Our number one recommendation when it comes to the housing application is for you to complete the questionnaire yourself — not your mom or dad. Be as honest as possible, too!
If you already have someone who’s agreed to be your roommate, part two of the application is where you can request roommates in Residence. This is helpful if you know a friend attending UNE , or connect with someone in our Accepted Students Facebook Group.
All students in Residence have a unique roommate code. To request a roommate, you’ll need to enter your roommate’s code when prompted. They’ll receive a notification that they can view and accept your roommate request. You can also search Residence profiles to find a roommate. You won’t be able to see student names, but you can see profiles with answers to the roommate questionnaire, so you can search for someone who may be a good fit.
Your housing application, including roommate requests, is due by July 1 and will be reviewed by our Office of Housing and Residential/Commuter Life. Housing assignments are made in priority order based on the date your application is received — so the sooner the better!
By mid-July, you’ll receive confirmation of your housing assignment and roommate information.
Top tip: reach out to your roommate! The summer is a great time to get to know them and coordinate what to bring to campus.
Current Student Perspectives
You may be wondering what the roommate process was really like for current UNE students. We checked in with Brooke and Hailey to provide their experience:
Brooke, a current senior Neuroscience major, fills us in on the roommate matching survey:
The survey asks you questions about yourself, and this is how you are matched with a roommate. Even if you decide to request a roommate, still fill out this form. These questions can also be helpful to guide conversations with future classmates you may be talking to about living together. Some questions include: What time do you wake up? What time do you go to bed? What relationship do you want with your roommates? How quiet do you like the room? It’s super important to answer these questions honestly and to be realistic with yourself and your answers. If your room at home is messy, there is a good chance it will be at college too. The Housing office does their best to match you to the preferences you indicated, so the sooner you complete the survey the better!
Brooke also provided some helpful advice for your first year on campus:
Personally, learning to share a room with other people was definitely an adjustment. It can be difficult to accommodate your roommates routines, especially if they don’t align with yours. But after a month or so, I got the hang of things and we found a way to live together peacefully. I wasn’t friends with my roommates, but we still respected each other and were peaceful. That’s the biggest thing. When problems arise in the room you also have your Resident Advisor (RA) to help, so you won’t have to figure things out alone. Overall, living on campus is a great experience and is a good way to meet people and make new friends.
Current sophomore Hailey, a Social Work major, reflects on her experience meeting her roommate in the Accepted Students Facebook Group:
In the Facebook group, you can post about yourself including where you are from, your major, and your interests. You can also see other people in your class and learn about them. Throughout the summer, I spent time looking over people’s posts and learning if I had things in common with them. I ended connecting with many different people. When I finally talked with the person who ultimately became my roommate, I just knew it was going to be a good fit. We connected on so many common interests like listening to music, spending time outside, working out, and hanging with friends.
Hailey also shared what her experience was like once she moved to campus:
Living with someone is not always going to be sunshine and rainbows since you are sharing a small space. Being able to be open and have conversations if something is going on is crucial. Your Residential Advisors (RAs) are always there to assist too. I was grateful my roommate and I were able to respect each other, have fun, talk about life, and enjoy the freshman experience together. Knowing that someone was always going to be by my side in this new experience was a huge help. The bonds I’ve created with my roommates are something that I will remember for a lifetime. All the laughs, late night talks, group dinners, and beach days will continue to highlight my freshman year living experience.
Want to Learn More?
Watch the replay of our New Nor’easters virtual event, Housing: All About Residential Life! Campus experts, including current students and RAs, talk through life on campus — everything from how and when to fill out your housing and dining application to what to pack this fall. They cover more about roommate selections, living communities, and programs offered to help you feel more connected and supported on campus. Watch Housing: All About Residential Life here.
If you’re an accepted student for next fall, you can also check out our other upcoming events just for New Nor’easters, including accepted student days! Find out more. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!