When students consider housing and where they want to live, the first question that may come to mind is, “Who do I live with?”

The search for a perfect roommate is oftentimes successful, but also, sometimes not.

The thought of having to share a room with someone can push many students to opt for living by themselves.

“I think some individuals think that they have to have a single room because that’s what they’ve had their entire life,” said Director of University Housing Alma Sealine. “In our culture today, more students are coming to us that have always had a room to themselves, so the whole concept of a roommate can be stressful.”

Of the 8,365 spaces available in the undergraduate residence halls by University Housing, only 467 rooms are singles, according to Sealine. With such a small number of single rooms, the majority of students are forced into an environment where they must learn to live with someone else.

But the impact of being put in such a situation may be greater than expected.

“I think there’s a lot of learning that takes place about who you are as a person, Sealine said. “You learn more aboutwhat sort of environment you need to be successful.”

Academically, that environment may require a roommate being there to lighten the stress that comes with college.

“Without a roommate, you don’t have anyone to talk to if you need someone to vent to,” Matt Clarke, freshman in DGS, said. “I also think it’s a lot more pressure on yourself to get your work done. You’re actually on your own.”

Living without a roommate can also have an impact on students’ social lives.

“You’re definitely more susceptible to not going out of your way to talk to people,” Clarke said. “You don’t get to meet new people through roommates.”

However, academic and social benefits exist for students who choose to live alone — even if it requires them to put in a little more effort.

Lauren Schultz, senior in LAS, said there can be many advantages to the independence that comes with living alone.

“Coordinating sleeping and studying schedules was always a challenge,” Schultz said. “It’s nice not having to work around someone’s schedule.”

She said she doesn’t think she’d be able to go back to living with a roommate because she’s grown accustomed to having her own space.

Schultz, who has been a resident adviser at Bromley Hall for two years, also receives the benefit of not having to pay for her housing. But she has had to deal with higher costs when it comes to purchasing necessities for her room.

“When you had a roommate, you could split it half and half,” she said. “But it was a bit of a shock to me having to provide everything for the room.”

While living alone has its perks, Sealine, Clarke and Schultz all recommend that students live with a roommate at least for their freshman year, if not longer.

They said the skills, lessons and experiences that students will gain are priceless.

“You have to have those skills in the workplace going forward, in a relationship going forward,” Sealine said. “When you’re a part of a community, you have to be able to lead individuals and respect what people bring to the table.”

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