So I'm gonna be starting university for architecture soon and was wondering is it good idea to have a roommate that is also in the same program as you. I met a CS students who seems to be pretty chill and that I might get along with. But my dad says that I should be roommates with someone that's in architecture as well, because we might be able to 'help' each other. (My dad's also an architect) What do y'all think? Any experiences?
Thanks
SneakyPete
Jun 28, 19 2:08 pm
Diversify. Don't reinforce your experiences in life when you can instead use others as a sounding board to figure shit out.
babyarchitect1
Jun 28, 19 2:12 pm
Most of the people here won't be able to help...roommate situations have shifted dramatically in the last decade and there are very few students that use this forum. (prepare yourself ) You may want to research other forums more specifically related to the college transition for these types of questions which could be of a lot of help!
With that being said I'll give you an idea of what worked for me. I was rooming with randoms in an on-campus apartment style dorm with my own room. They were not great people to be honest but I rarely saw them as most of my first year was spent in studio working. This benefited me because I wasn't friends with them. I actually would go to studio to hang out with my friends and really get my work my done and socialize at the same time. When I wanted a break to just relax and be alone I went back to my room.
On one hand, I saw people in my program who made friends with their random roommates (in reg shared dorms) and immediately started slacking on school work. (non-arch majors have a lot of free time) Several flunked classes and eventually dropped out.
On the other hand, there were a lot of first years who met at orientation and decided to room together bc they were both in architecture. While this sounds ideal, they got so sick and tired of seeing each other all the time (studio, in their room, eating together) that they eventually no longer were friends.
After my first year, I met a few people in my program that were more on the normal side and we went in together for an apartment. All arch majors, all with separate rooms, brs, and privacy. It was ideal.
For me, I would say wait it out on your first year to see who you really click with bc in my own experience, this changes a lot in the first semester. That is, if you can hold yourself accountable to getting your shit done! If you stay motivated this gives you an opportunity to meet people outside of the program, which could be some relief at some point!
citizen
Jun 28, 19 2:25 pm
^ Some excellent advice, including the architecture-related specifics.
mightyaa
Jun 28, 19 3:17 pm
I did the fraternity thing. Fraternities were considered ‘on campus’, thus freshmen could live at the fraternity house. In it, I had access to several other architectural students of varying years whom I could ask for help or get opinions about various things in the program (that was part of what I looked at before pledging a certain house). It’s not about secret handshakes and keggers. It is about getting into a established social group with tons of support. Fraternity members generally have a much higher gpa… If you go to the dorm, you’ll make friends; but it will take awhile before you find someone who took that class with that professor. In a fraternity, several people have ‘been there, done that’ and have old tests, quizzes, and can help you with more complex concepts and tutor you through it. They also require study times and set limits for incoming freshmen. For me in architecture studio, I could get a crit from a couple brothers in 5th year and some pointers to save time for the presentation boards or maybe be shown a new skill like airbrushing, stippling, etc..
And yes, there are lots of social engagements. So, you’ll go to parties fairly regularly. You’ll also be forced to join clubs/teams and get away from the architecture building and meet other people. For someone like me who is rather introverted, if the fraternity hadn’t of forced it, I probably would have a very stifled social life and not fully enjoyed college.
midlander
Jun 28, 19 10:08 pm
my 1st year dorm floor was split evenly between architects and CS related majors. There was some mixing between them at first but after the first year most of the architects developed friendships with each other and paired up as roommates or moved off campus.
15+ years later I am still in touch with all of the architects in that dorm, good friends with several. Whereas I wouldn't even recognize any of the non archs.
my advice for OP is if you feel like you get along, stick with a roommate you like. That matters more than being in the same major - certainly there willbe arch majors you dislike and shouldn't risk having as a roommate. But in the long run you are unlikely to stay connected as you will be living in largely different worlds. Which is fine.
So I'm gonna be starting university for architecture soon and was wondering is it good idea to have a roommate that is also in the same program as you. I met a CS students who seems to be pretty chill and that I might get along with. But my dad says that I should be roommates with someone that's in architecture as well, because we might be able to 'help' each other. (My dad's also an architect) What do y'all think? Any experiences?
Thanks
Diversify. Don't reinforce your experiences in life when you can instead use others as a sounding board to figure shit out.
Most of the people here won't be able to help...roommate situations have shifted dramatically in the last decade and there are very few students that use this forum. (prepare yourself ) You may want to research other forums more specifically related to the college transition for these types of questions which could be of a lot of help!
With that being said I'll give you an idea of what worked for me. I was rooming with randoms in an on-campus apartment style dorm with my own room. They were not great people to be honest but I rarely saw them as most of my first year was spent in studio working. This benefited me because I wasn't friends with them. I actually would go to studio to hang out with my friends and really get my work my done and socialize at the same time. When I wanted a break to just relax and be alone I went back to my room.
On one hand, I saw people in my program who made friends with their random roommates (in reg shared dorms) and immediately started slacking on school work. (non-arch majors have a lot of free time) Several flunked classes and eventually dropped out.
On the other hand, there were a lot of first years who met at orientation and decided to room together bc they were both in architecture. While this sounds ideal, they got so sick and tired of seeing each other all the time (studio, in their room, eating together) that they eventually no longer were friends.
After my first year, I met a few people in my program that were more on the normal side and we went in together for an apartment. All arch majors, all with separate rooms, brs, and privacy. It was ideal.
For me, I would say wait it out on your first year to see who you really click with bc in my own experience, this changes a lot in the first semester. That is, if you can hold yourself accountable to getting your shit done! If you stay motivated this gives you an opportunity to meet people outside of the program, which could be some relief at some point!
^ Some excellent advice, including the architecture-related specifics.
I did the fraternity thing. Fraternities were considered ‘on campus’, thus freshmen could live at the fraternity house. In it, I had access to several other architectural students of varying years whom I could ask for help or get opinions about various things in the program (that was part of what I looked at before pledging a certain house). It’s not about secret handshakes and keggers. It is about getting into a established social group with tons of support. Fraternity members generally have a much higher gpa… If you go to the dorm, you’ll make friends; but it will take awhile before you find someone who took that class with that professor. In a fraternity, several people have ‘been there, done that’ and have old tests, quizzes, and can help you with more complex concepts and tutor you through it. They also require study times and set limits for incoming freshmen. For me in architecture studio, I could get a crit from a couple brothers in 5th year and some pointers to save time for the presentation boards or maybe be shown a new skill like airbrushing, stippling, etc..
And yes, there are lots of social engagements. So, you’ll go to parties fairly regularly. You’ll also be forced to join clubs/teams and get away from the architecture building and meet other people. For someone like me who is rather introverted, if the fraternity hadn’t of forced it, I probably would have a very stifled social life and not fully enjoyed college.
my 1st year dorm floor was split evenly between architects and CS related majors. There was some mixing between them at first but after the first year most of the architects developed friendships with each other and paired up as roommates or moved off campus.
15+ years later I am still in touch with all of the architects in that dorm, good friends with several. Whereas I wouldn't even recognize any of the non archs.
my advice for OP is if you feel like you get along, stick with a roommate you like. That matters more than being in the same major - certainly there willbe arch majors you dislike and shouldn't risk having as a roommate. But in the long run you are unlikely to stay connected as you will be living in largely different worlds. Which is fine.