Thursday, August 23, 2001
Communication with roommate key to privacy
By Jacqueline Petersell
staff reporter

Incoming freshmen have more to deal with in adjusting to college life than learning what part of campus their classes are in. They must also learn to deal with living with a roommate and the loss of something they treasured at home — their privacy.

With 1,540 freshmen, most of whom live in residence halls, a loss of privacy is an issue all students living in a residence hall must deal with. Setting rules and getting concerns out in the open are a few ways to discuss privacy with your roommate.

Jeff Moss, a sophomore premajor, said It’s best to have an open forum when getting to know your roommate and setting rules in the residence hall rooms.

“Say, ‘this is what I do and this is how I am’,” Moss said. “Don’t beat around the bush. State what you want and respect their wishes.”

Communication between roommates is a large part of having privacy within the residence hall rooms.

Lindsay Misslin, a Colby Hall resident assistant , said the relationship between roommates helps them learn privacy boundaries.

“I think the biggest key is communication,” said Misslin, a sophomore theater education major. “But it totally depends on your roommate and if you work it out with them.”

But George Havrilla, an RA at Milton-Daniel Hall, said life in residence halls can be as private as you make it and that you don’t really lose anything you had at home.

“If you trust your roommate, then it’s extremely private as long as your roommate respects your privacy,” said Havrilla, a senior mechanical engineering major.

Though communication is important, Moss said, there are other ways to stay private within a residence hall room. One way is to talk with friends through e-mail and other Internet services.

“(Instant Messenger) is really good if you don’t want them to hear you on the phone,” Moss said.

Many students go in the hallway to talk on phones when they don’t want their roommates to hear the conversation.

However, Misslin said by doing so, other people in the hall can hear the phone conversation. Misslin said that if you don’t want something known, then don’t tell other people.

Havrilla also had the same advice.

“If you don’t want people to know (something) then why share?” Havrilla said.

Havrilla said something to remember is that students get a clean slate when they come to college.

“Yes, we’re interested in how you lived your life, but you’re starting over,” he said. “I don’t see how coming (to TCU) you’re going to lose any of that.”

Misslin said it is possible to have a social life on campus, but still keep your privacy. Residence halls have hall socials and wing socials that allow students to meet others and feel more comfortable in their new homes.

Moss said wing socials and other activities help ease students into life on campus, but the most important thing is to find a group of friends to connect with.

“If you find that security, then you feel better about doing things,” Moss said.

Jacqueline Petersell
j.s.petersell@student.tcu.edu

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