Living with a Roommate: Finding Space and Making Friends

When filling out my housing preference questionnaire, I asked to get a divided double, but I was placed in a regular double in Anderson Hall. I share a room with my sister at home and I was hoping to get my own space in college. It turned out alright for me though because I had already met my roommate on the Summer Fly-In program (read all about the program in Cheysen’s blog post and try to find me in the group photo)! So when I saw her name on my housing email I was happily surprised, but I assumed that it would still be challenging to live with someone new. We texted a few times before Move-In Day, and then before we knew it we were back at Whitman. 

My roommate is from a different state, is studying different subjects and voluntarily chose to have an 8 am class (which sounds like a nightmare to me) but we get along really well. Without my roommate to help push me out of my comfort zone and into Opening Week activities or dinner with new friends, I wouldn’t have been able to connect to the community at Whitman.

I do get to have my own space, whether that be underneath my lofted bed or when I listen to music or when my roommate is in her early class. But I also have one person I can always count on to eat meals with, watch movies with and hang out with while, say, someone gets a spontaneous haircut in the section bathroom.

Even though the thought of living with someone new can be pretty nerve-wracking, I encourage you to keep an open mind. Be kind, communicate your needs and allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone! Who knows, maybe your roommate will end up being one of your best friends. 

Pan Deines ’26 (they/them) is a first-year student from Vashon Island, Washington who intends to major in English and minor in Creative Writing. One time Pan’s roommate woke them up by slingshotting a hair tie from across the room and asking Pan to braid her hair.