HOUSING & RESIDENTIAL LIFE
On-Campus Housing
Hollins is a residential community, so most of our students live in residence halls on campus Our electric mix of housing ranges from large halls and apartments to special interest housing for students with specific common interests.
HowcanIhelpwithmystudent’sroommateconflict?
Asadults,weknowthatconflictsanddisagreementsareexpectedevenin thestrongestrelationships Asaparentorfamilymember,youmayhave heardfromyourstudentabouttheiroverallroommateexperience,things theydoordon’tlikeaboutthem,andevenpotentialroommateconflicts. Whileitmayfeelnaturaltowanttointerveneonyourstudent’sbehalf,this isanexcellentopportunitytosupportyourstudentinlearninghowto addressandresolveconflictindependently.
TheOfficeofHousingandResidenceLifeasksstudentstomeetwiththeir roommateeachyeartocompletearoommateagreement.Aroommate agreementwalksroommatepairsthroughmultiplequestionstodiscuss withoneanotherbasedonthecommonsourcesofconflictweseebetween roommates.
Duringfirstfloormeetingsatthebeginningofthesemester,Resident Assistantsmeetwiththeirresidentsandprovidethefollowingtipsfor completingtheroommateagreement:
Bespecific:Insteadofvaguestatementslike“we’llberespectfulofeach other,”specifywhatthatmeanstoyou.Forexample,“wewillagreeto maintainaquietatmosphereafter10PM”
Beflexible:Thingsdon’talwaysgoaccordingtoplan,sobewillingto adjustyouragreementasneeded Bewillingtodiscussandbeflexible, evenduringaconflictwithyourroommate YourRAorAssistant Directorcanassistwiththis!
Beopentocompromise:Somepeoplewillhavedifferentexpectations, andyoursharedspacehastobecomfortableforbothparties.Bewilling tomeetinthemiddle
Ifyouandyourroommateneedassistancefacilitatingaconversation withyourroommate,reachouttoyourRA!
Tipstohelpyourstudentnavigateissuesandconflictwiththeir roommate
EncourageThemtoTalkItOut:Inmanyroommateconflicts,astudent’s roommatemaynotknowthereisanissue,asthetopichasnotbeen broughtuptothem.Providestrategiesforhavingadialoguewiththeir roommateandencouragethemtonametheproblemstheyarehavingand theirneedsrespectfully
EncourageCompromise:Justlikeineveryotherrelationshipor environment,it’srarethatallstudentscanget100%ofwhattheywant. Pleaseencouragethemtoseekcompromiseandworkwiththeirroommate toseekwin-winsolutions
EncourageYourStudenttoSeeBothSidesofThePicture:Often,in roommateconflicts,bothpartieshaveintentionallyorunintentionally contributedtothedynamicsintheirsharedspaceAsyourstudenttalks withyouabouttheirconcernswiththeirroommate,bewillingtoencourage themtoreflectontheirpotentialroleintheconflictandwhatcanbedone toworktogethertoresolvetheconflict
BrainstormSolutionsWithYourStudent:Studentsmaytalktoyou becausetheywanttoventaboutthesituation,ortheywantyouto potentiallyinterveneontheirbehalf.Instead,weencourageyoutowalkyour studentsthroughthestepstheycantaketohelpresolvethesituationSome questionsyoucanaskinclude:
Haveyouspokentoyourroommate?
Howdidthatconversationgo?
Haveyouandyourroommatecompletedtheroommateagreementthat HRLhassentyou?
Whatmutualcompromisescanbemadeinthissituation?
HaveyoureachedouttoyourRAtohelpmediateorgiveadvice?
HaveyoureachedouttoHRLProfessionalstaffforassistance?
ConsultwithHousingandResidenceLifeStaff:Wearehappytohelpwalk parentsandfamiliesthroughhowtohavetheseconversationswiththeir studentsandsupportthemthroughtheirroommateconflicts.Thesecalls alsogiveusaheadsuptocheckinwithyourstudentandtheirroommate informally
