Rebekah Robson discusses her experience of sharing a room.
When choosing John’s as my first choice college, I knew getting placed in a shared room would be a ‘risk’. Yet, despite the inevitable anticipation and hesitation, I felt when the room allocation email arrived in my inbox a few weeks before coming to Durham, I can now wholeheartedly say that my experiences of sharing a room have been overwhelmingly positive.
As I arrived at college after my roommate, the moment of opening the door to a room already partly decorated and, more obviously, with a (then) stranger sitting on one of the beds, was of course daunting. However, we had agreed that the college could put us in touch a few weeks before uni started, meaning we could get to know each other a little bit before we arrived. Being in contact before arriving gave us the chance to work out what each of us could bring for the room, such as drying racks and extra storage, whilst also meaning initial introductions were already partly established.
As an introvert, I was anxious to have my own space, which is inevitably limited when living in a shared room. However, sharing a room does mean you get to know each other really quickly. I found this was especially great during Freshers’ Week as we could go to meals and events together, making the vast newness of college life significantly less intimidating. Also, having extra space means your room is often used for movie nights, getting ready for formals or even hosting surprise birthday parties as my roommate kindly did for me! In any case, even if you don’t ‘click’ with your roommate straight away or become close friends, you are only sharing a room for one year and, with differing weekly schedules and short terms, this really isn’t a long time at all.
Although the college does consider room allocation carefully, your work and sleep schedules may not always coincide (for example, you might need to let them in at 2 am if they forget their key on a night out!). Nevertheless, having a roommate means you always have someone looking out for you. When fresher flu finally hit me in week three, my roommate was quick to provide me with painkillers and cough sweets. Plus, you always have someone to talk to and to share the university experience with; a real comfort during a time of great change. I feel it is also important to note that my roommate and I have found sharing washing loads very useful in saving time! (even if it does mean you end up accidentally exchanging socks – not a big deal unless your feet are a few sizes apart…).
Overall, I would recommend anyone who has been put in a shared room to be open-minded and to embrace the experience as an exciting opportunity within a college and university environment filled with history, tradition and, most significantly, a great sense of community.
Photo Credit: Rebekah Robson
John's Chronicle 
A lovely reflection. Thank you Rebekah. When I first arrived at John’s (in 1971!) my allocated room was a real shocker – literally under the stairs in Linton Wing! I’ve never in my life felt so lonely or so desperate. Luckily, someone who had been placed in a shared room was equally keen to move, and so it was that I spent my first year very happily sharing a room with David Taylor in The Cottage….and I think it saved my John’s career. Mind you, I don’t recall Cottage 1 being as well furnished or as tidy as Rebekah’s!
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