As a Nursing student, would you prefer to have a room mate or to live by yourself?

[RN_student23]

I'm an incoming junior transferring to a state university. My application offers the opportunity to have a single/double dorm. Of course, it's dependent on the individual on whether or not they would be comfortable with a room mate. I consider myself a sociable individual who loves to socialize regardless of the situation and believe that doubling with a room mate would be a great choice. My reason is because I have 3 years of undergrad left and could simply just request a single my later years so I could experience how it is to have a roommate. Proponents have said that living with a roommate is a great experience where you have to deal with a random stranger on agreements. But, that always depends on what type of roommate you have. They always say that you'll have the chance to live by yourself for the rest of your life, so take the opportunity to have a room mate. Since I am new to the school, I always thought it would be a great idea to have a room mate. With the room being 11X17, the room is quite small for two people to reside in. Overall, people have said its a college experience and if I don't enjoy it, just move out by myself the following year. Just so you know, I would not be able to study in my dorm room with a roommate, so I'm thinking about staying in the library as my 2nd home (every time I study!)

However, many students have criticized this decision and stated to go for a single room in order to have more "privacy." Some have joked around that its 99% easier to have sex in a single room rather than having a room mate. Others have complained that it's cool to have a room mate for the first 3 weeks, but after that, it begins to dwell on you. My school runs on a semester system (16 weeks) so I'll probably be stuck with them for the rest of the time. You don't have to listen to anyone's rules or have any agreements. In addition, you could be messy/clean and possibly study peacefully in your room. It's quite expensive, but cost is not a factor into my decision.

All in all, some have said that if I'm a social type of person, I will easily seek out friends in vicinity of the school. So, a room mate is not really required. Truthfully, I just don't think I'll make a lot of friends which is why I think I chose the roommate option. What do you think and what would you choose as a Nursing student?

[trauma_lama, BSN]

just remember that YOU get to control your study habits and study environment if you live alone. roomies are great sometimes, but sometime a roommate, even the greatest roommate ever, might decide to have her "party really hard and bring her boyfriend back to the room" night the same night you have a "holy cow all of my exams are piling up on each other and i have a huge physiology exam i need to make a serious study binge for" circumstance...since you're outgoing, you don't need the boost of having a "ready made friend" (ie roomie)...i say get a single room so you can control your circumstances to best suit your study needs...remember that you can always choose to invite a friend to hang out for social, academic or romantic purposes on YOUR schedule when you live alone. just my two cents, i'm speaking from the stand point of a married woman (1.5 years) who was fiercely in love with her independance and complete autonomy before settling down with my honey...sometimes i miss those "my very own apartment" days. good luck with whatever you decide, friend! :-)

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I had a roommate as a nursing student, but she was someone I already knew and she was a nursing student as well. Of the two of us, I was probably harder to live with than she was. We had pretty much the same schedule apart from clinicals, so if she was studying for a big exam, I was too, so that part was easy. Sometimes we studied together but most of the time we didn't because our study/learning styles were vastly different. Plus, if I was in my room studying, I got very easily distracted....so I spent a fair amount of time in study lounges and the library, whereas my roomie could tune out all the stuff around her. That made it easier sometimes. But my circumstances were different than yours, so what worked for me may not work for you.

The key, if you are going to have a roommate, is communication. Open and direct. It does no good for one of you to stew about the other staying up too late, bringing unwelcome guests over, or any other annoying/bad habit.

But it's doable either way and I really have no strong opinion. Best of luck you in school!

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

WELL, I am rather a private individual to begin with--but I remember nursing school days (long, long ago) and I studied at so many different hours, ate at so many different hours, slept at so many...etc, I would just want my own schedule....so....I would most definitely live alone and love every minute of it!

You will meet bunches of new nursing students..socialize and study with them--on your own terms.

diva (true to my screen name)

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

I had a suite mate (4 single rooms a bath and a half and a kitchen/sitting room.) There was someone to talk to but there also was your own door you could close. It was really neat. I'm a private type but I do like to know someone is there if I needed help. The dorm was in a donut shape so all the rooms were centered, all the bathe in a row down the center and all the sitting rooms/kitchens surrounded the outer rim.

So long tale made short, single with suitemates.

[seamang2, BSN, MSN]

I just started my program 2 weeks ago and after 10 years in the military, I can say that the first few weeks of nursing school are more difficult than basic training! I would recommend that you live by yourself for the first semester and then if you think you can handle it move on to living with a roommate if you need/want to!

[learning&yearning]

During my first degree, I had three different roommates in a dorm. The first ended up being one of my best college friends. The second was great but we don't really keep in touch. The third stole my check book and credit cards! lol! I think it's definitely an experience everyone should at least try out. That being said, I was never in nursing school during these times. But, as long as you know you will be studying elsewhere, go for it!

[AngelicDarkness]

IMO I prefer to live alone if I don't know the roommate in advance. I lived with 4 others in a house in college, and it got old fast. Hard to study when everyone else had different things going on. And trying to cook at the same time was a pain.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Since I am an introvert who does not like a whole lot of face-to-face interaction, I would rather not have roommates if I can avoid it. There's a degree of freedom that I cannot describe when I can lounge around the house while wearing only a bra and panties on a hot night. I would not be able to feel so free in the presence of a roommate.

I had a few roommates when I was in my early and mid-twenties, and I would rather not revisit the experience. I am someone who values my privacy and space.

[Trilldayz,RN BSN]

I've done both...lived by myself and had Roommates... TRUST ME live alone! If I ABSOLUTELY HAD to live with someone it would have to be another nursing student, who understands how studious I have to be. I am a social butterfly too and I would visit others or have them visit me. I just hated taking the risk of having either a good or bad roommate. Alone is the way to go!!!!

[Streamline2010]

1st choice: Alone.

2nd choice if forced to: Roommate who is another nursing student. Nobody in a standard degree, because they don't have to work as hard and have free time for fun.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I had a roommate when I first moved to my school because it was out of state. It was a great way to meet a lot of new people. Once I got to nursing school though, I kicked all my roommates out and lived alone so I could focus. It really worked out well that way.