Moving away from home can be a very overwhelming experience. It is scary to think of living in a small room with a stranger. If you go into dorm life with a positive attitude, then most likely you will end up with a positive experience. These following questions provide a advice as to how to enrich your dorm experience.

You can explore the various resident halls, the current rates for on-campus housing, and how to apply for housing at www.rdp.vt.edu. This site will also inform you about fire safety, and how to contact someone if you have a maintenance problem.

Living in such a small space with another person is not always easy. It takes time and effort to adjust to the new living situation. It is important to remember your roommate is adjusting too. Communication is also necessary in maintaining a positive relationship with your roommate. If you do not like a messy room or the radio blaring late at night, then don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Respect is essential to having a pleasant rooming experience. No matter how different you and your roommate are, it is important to respect each other’s feelings and space (www.t-book.org/articles/000026.html).

If you have tried everything and you just can’t seem to get along with your roommate, then you need to pay a visit to your Residential Advisor. More than likely there are other students that are in the same boat as you. Often R.A.’s are able to find students in the same situation, and allow you to “trade.”