STUDENT WELLNESS
Roommate Conflicts

Purdue University is a diverse educational environment that includes students from 120 countries and all 50 states. Having roommates, either in a residence hall setting, a co-op, or an apartment, requires an adjustment period for everyone. Roommate conflicts do arise and it is important for your student to be proactive and to work hard to be open in working out differences.

If your student tells you about a roommate conflict he or she is having, suggest the following options:

1. Find a middle ground. If the roommate wants to have friends over more than your student likes, try to find a middle ground that is acceptable to the both of the occupants.
2. Talk before problems become big. As conflicts come up, brainstorm with each other to find ways that can provide a compromise for both parties.
3. Seek help on campus. Sometimes, when everyone has done all that they can, the roommates still conclude that they are incompatible. If this conclusion is reached, encourage your student to ask his or her roommate to meet with the Residential Life Manager (if your student lives in the halls) or the director of their apartment complex (if your student lives off campus). Meeting with either of these individuals will provide your student and his or her roommate with an objective third party to help resolve their concerns in addition to providing them with options for their living arrangements.