To Room or Not to Room

For many boarders, having a roommate is a core experience of the Lawrenceville. During your years at Lawrenceville, chances are that you’ve had a roommate at some point. I, as a new sophomore, was surprisingly placed into a single and dodged the bullet of sharing my room with a stranger. However, I have always been curious to find out what makes the roommate experience so special and mysterious.

Sawyer English ’25 was lucky enough to be placed into a room with two close friends which only further developed their friendship by becoming roommates. Although many students find themselves pairing up with a friend, others are not as lucky. For new III and IV Formers, the housing situation is one of their great unknowns before arriving on campus. Will O’Reilly ’25 met his roommate on move in day, and since then, they have grown very close. O’Reilly explains that, “no matter how close you are with your roommate, you will get annoyed with them a little bit, but that is completely normal.” While many new II and III formers might struggle to learn how to live with another student, many V Formers willingly pair up in anticipation for senior year housing.

For best friends and campus dynamic duo, Caitlin Hoover ’23 and Coco Hunt ’23, it was a no-brainer to be roommates for their V Form year. Hunt noticed how “being roommates brought Caitlin and [her] closer together,” and that “[she would] miss being roommates so much next year in college.” Hoover and Hunt often watch sports, eat dinner on the floor, and enjoy simply hanging out together, bringing them closer together.

As for picking a roommate, it may be wise to choose a friend that shares the same academic and athletic interests. For Hoover and Hunt, both members of the Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey and Lacrosse Teams, their similar schedules have allowed them to bond. For those who do not have the luxury of picking a roommate, it is even more crucial to connect with each other such that living with each other is a smooth experience. It is similarly important that they learn about each other’s pet peeves. For example Emily Mercy ’23 hates it when her roommates are loud when she tries to do homework or sleep. West Violich ’25 has the same pet peeve and cannot focus on work when his “roommates are being loud in [their] common room.” So while roommates are fun to have around, it seems to be that the largest concern is getting distracted by each other.

Whenever anyone thinks they may be ticking off a roommate, it is important to talk to them, and learn to meet each other’s needs. Even though roommates might spend time together in their dorm room, it is just as important to spend time with their roommate elsewhere on campus and beyond. Going with them to the Big Red Store, the tennis courts, or just hanging out around the Circle or Crescent together can be the cherry-on-top to a special bond. Even though having a roommate can be very fun or very nerve racking for some, having a roommate teaches you how to deal with others, and most importantly, prepares you for life after boarding school.