Living With a Roommate: Student Voices

Sharing a room with a roommate can feel like one of the most stressful parts of starting at a new boarding school. Will they snore? Will they be messy? Will they like a different kind of music? What if they like to stay up too late? These fears are valid (your roommate will probably be different than you and that is ok!), but we want to reassure you the opportunity for personal growth and the formation of deep friendships makes having a roommate one of the most valuable experiences you will have at Proctor. Here are what a few of our boarding students had to say when we asked them their thoughts on living with a roommate.

Proctor Academy Boarding School New England

Van ‘20

The first time I met my roommate, I was greeted with a huge smile and a big hug. As I am an international student, these simple gestures instantly made me feel welcomed and optimistic. My roommate,PJ, and I had gotten the chance to room together freshman and sophomore year; we even were bunkmates on Ocean Classroom our junior fall! We’ve had our ups and downs, but during the toughest day, especially the cold New England winter days, we always had each other’s back. Whether it was funny cat videos or the blasting music out loud while talking in the little room we’ve made under PJ’s bed (before study hall of course), we always helped each other through our toughest days and were able to share our best days together.

Proctor Academy Boarding School New England

Nils '20

Your roommate is like your sibling. Sometimes you fight. You laugh, you make jokes, you tease each other, you trust each another, and most importantly, you know your roommate is always there for you. This is such a gift during high school, to have the stability of that type of friendship is so nice.

Proctor Academy Boarding School New England

Sarah ‘20

The best part about having a roommate, especially as a new student, is the feeling of not being alone. My roommate, Katie 20’, and I have only roomed together for one term due to off campus programs, but have decided to room again this fall. We met on housing night. Both of us were looking for a single and only knew each other because we were in the same Sophomore Seminar block. Both of us are athletic and decided to trial as roommates in the fall of our junior year. It worked out perfectly and now she is my best friend. We even have a tradition of once a week, doesn’t matter which day, we go to Pizza Chef and enjoy a meal together. I could not imagine my life without a roommate, I’d be so bored and lonely. I am lucky enough to be living with my best friend and that certainly helps when I miss my family at home, because she is my family at Proctor.

Proctor Academy Boarding School New England

Cooper '21

Roommates are like having brothers away from home. It's so nice to have someone to always talk to, when you're excited to share something good that happened that day, or when you have had a terrible day and need to unload. I've also found having a roommate is a great way to meet new people outside of your immediate friend group. Proctor is full of good people, and sometimes you need your roommate to broaden your circle of friends for you.

Lucy-1

Lucy ‘20

I had a great experience with both of my roommates last year! I clicked immediately with my roommate from the fall and winter term. We were already sharing super personal things with each other, and this was on the first day that we met before going on Wilderness Orientation. Once we got back from Orientation we were so happy to see each other again and share our experiences. We did many things together, but once classes started we didn’t spend as much time together during the day, but this proved to be a good thing because it meant that when we saw each other back in the dorm room we couldn’t stop talking. I have heard stories of roommates that were inseparable and were unable to last with each other because they only hung out with each other. So, my advice would be to get to know your roommate(s) and have fun with them, but meet new people!

There’s one story I have that looking back on it seems sort of silly, but it’s true. It was winter break and my roommate had gone to California with her family. She texted me to tell me that she wouldn’t be back in a few days, at first I thought that it would be good to have a couple days living in a triple single all to myself. But when I got back from break and it was time to go to sleep that night, I couldn’t. And I realized that it was because my roommate wasn’t there. The hardest part for me was that I didn’t get to talk to her every time we walked in the door, or at night (which became the only way that either of us were able to fall asleep).

My last story has to do with an off campus program. My roommate told me that she had been accepted into the Mountain Classroom program. We were both ecstatic. I knew how much she wanted to do it, and I was really happy for her. As sad as it was to not have her there for a whole trimester, it was a learning experience. When she got back, I ran over to the Mountain Classroom bus and gave her a hug. She told me all about what they did and where they went. And we are going to try to room together this spring when we are both on campus.