Guide to Residence Life Handbook

Being a resident student during your time in college should be a positive experience.  Getting to know people on many levels enhances that experience.  Take advantage of this special time in your life and get to know the people you are living with.  Being a part of this exciting community, living and growing with your friends, is an amazing opportunity.

Some of the people you may want to get to know fairly quickly are your roommates.  For many of you, this is the first time that you are sharing a room.    The key to living with someone is to remember that everyone has the right to live in a safe, clean and healthy situation, which allows them to successfully pursue academic endeavors.  Everyone, also, has the right to be respected and an obligation to be respectful of others.

Here are some basic tips on how to begin successful roommate relationships:

• Have an open mind about the situation.  Get to know your roommate(s) before you pass judgment.
• Share all the basic information: hometown, major, family information, interests, etc.
• Discuss how you want the room set up - and then do it together.
• Discuss how you want to "live" - guests, study times, what is "shareable" and what isn’t (clothes, food, supplies, etc.) - and then follow the guidelines you establish.
• When a problem arises, talk to each other about it!  Talking to everyone else will probably only cause more problems.  If you need assistance planning what you need to say, talk with your RA.
• If it turns out that you and your roommates aren’t best of friends, that’s okay.  It is important, however, that you are able to live together in a respectful and civil manner.  That can happen if everyone works at it!!

Once you get to know your roommate(s), take the opportunity to meet other students in the building.  A good way to do this is through the programs coordinated by the RAs.  There will be many social and fun activities planned.  Your RA will be asking for suggestions, so think about things that you would really like to do!!

In addition to the social programs, the RAs will also be coordinating many programs which will highlight issues related to college students.   College is a time when you develop independence, make social and academic choices, and determine your future goals.  Programs offered in university housing will provide you with information to make good decisions and introduce you to university services and staff.

We hope that this year is a great experience for you!!  Living on campus provides you the opportunity to learn about living with others, but more importantly you will learn a lot about yourself.

Here are some basic tips on how to begin successful roommate relationships:

• Have an open mind about the situation.  Get to know your roommate(s) before you pass judgment.
• Share all the basic information: hometown, major, family information, interests, etc.
• Discuss how you want the room set up - and then do it together.
• Discuss how you want to "live" - guests, study times, what is "shareable" and what isn’t (clothes, food, supplies, etc.) - and then follow the guidelines you establish.
• When a problem arises, talk to each other about it!  Talking to everyone else will probably only cause more problems.  If you need assistance planning what you need to say, talk with your RA.
• If it turns out that you and your roommates aren’t best of friends, that’s okay.  It is important, however, that you are able to live together in a respectful and civil manner.  That can happen if everyone works at it!!

As a member of the residence hall community at Suffolk University, you have agreed to the following Bill of Rights.

These basic rights include:

• As a member of the residence hall community at Suffolk University, you have agreed to the following Bill of Rights.
• These basic rights include:
• The right to read, study and live free from undue interference, unreasonable noise and other distractions which inhibit the exercise of this right.
• The right to expect that others will respect one’s personal belongings.
• The right to a reasonably clean environment in which to live.
• The right to free access to one’s room.
• The right to personal privacy.
• The right to be free from physical or psychological intimidation harassment and/or harm.

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