Your Ultimate Guide to Finding a Colgate University Roommate
Hey everyone, so you’re heading to Colgate! That’s awesome. Get ready for four years in beautiful Hamilton, New York. But before you start planning your first trip to the Jug or figuring out your class schedule, there’s one big thing on your mind: your roommate. Who are you going to be living with for the next year? It’s a huge question, & honestly, how it plays out can shape your entire college experience.
Here’s the thing about finding a roommate at Colgate—the process is PRETTY different depending on whether you’re a first-year or an upperclassman. There’s a lot to unpack, from university-run questionnaires & housing lotteries to the wild west of social media. It can feel a little overwhelming, but don’t worry. I’m going to break it all down for you. This is your insider's guide to navigating the Colgate roommate scene.
The First-Year Experience: Trusting the Process
Alright, let's get one major thing cleared up right away. If you're an incoming first-year at Colgate, you will not be choosing your own roommate. I know, I know. For some of you, that’s a relief, & for others, it’s a little nerve-wracking. But here’s the deal: Colgate has a system in place, & it’s designed to foster a sense of community from the get-go.
Back in 2018, Colgate made the switch to assigning all first-year roommates. They joined a bunch of other top schools like Duke & Stanford in doing this. The idea is that it broadens your social circle beyond the people you might already know or connect with online. It’s all about creating a more inclusive campus environment, & honestly, it pushes you out of your comfort zone in a good way.
So, how does it work? It's not just a random draw. You’ll be asked to fill out a pretty extensive “First-Year Housing Preference Form” through the university’s housing portal. This is your chance to tell Residential Life what you’re like to live with.
What to Expect on the First-Year Housing Preference Form
The goal of this form is to match you with someone who has similar living habits. While the exact questions might change slightly from year to year, here’s the kind of stuff you can expect to be asked about:
- Sleep Schedule: Are you a night owl who does your best work after midnight, or an early bird who’s up with the sun? This is probably one of the MOST important questions.
- Tidiness: How clean do you keep your space? Are you a "clean freak," pretty neat, or someone who thrives in what you might call "organized chaos"? Be honest here!
- Social Habits: Do you plan on having friends over often? Do you prefer a quiet space for studying, or are you okay with some background noise?
- Communication Style: This is a newer, but super important, addition. It helps the university understand how you handle conflict & communication.
- Room Type Preference: You’ll likely be asked if you have a preference for a double, triple, or suite. Keep in mind that a lot of first-years end up in doubles or triples.
- Gender Preference: You'll also be asked about your roommate gender preference.
You'll get an email from the Office of Residential Life in the early summer with a link to this form, & you'll have a deadline to complete it, usually around late June. The actual roommate & dorm assignments are typically released around August 1st.
My advice? Be brutally honest on this form. Don’t answer the questions based on who you wish you were. If you’re messy, say so. If you need absolute silence to sleep, make that clear. The more accurate you are, the better the chance that ResLife can find you a compatible match.
It’s also worth noting that you'll be placed in one of Colgate's four Residential Commons for your first year. These are living & learning communities designed to help you transition to college life, & you'll be living with other students from your First-Year Seminar (FSEM) course. This is another way Colgate helps you build a community right away.
The Upperclassman Adventure: The Housing Lottery & Finding Your Crew
Once you’re a rising sophomore, junior, or senior, the game completely changes. Now, you have a LOT more control over where you live & who you live with. But with great power comes… a pretty complex housing lottery system.
Here's the lowdown on how it works for upperclassmen:
First, everyone who wants to participate in the on-campus housing selection has to fill out a housing form on the university's housing portal. This is where you can form roommate groups.
Forming a Roommate Group
This is the most critical part of the process for upperclassmen. You & your friends can create a group of potential roommates online. The person who initiates the request becomes the group leader, & everyone else has to accept the invitation. You can have a group of 2 to 4 members.
Here's a key piece of advice: your lottery time is determined by the group, not the individual. So, it's a good idea to strategize with your friends. Some students believe that having a mix of lottery numbers in your group can be beneficial, but the exact algorithm is a bit of a mystery.
The Housing Lotteries
Colgate has a few different lotteries, & which one you participate in depends on your class year & your housing preferences.
- The Commons Lottery: This is primarily for rising sophomores. Most sophomores stay within their first-year Commons, & this lottery allows them to pick rooms with their friends within that same community.
- The Inter-Commons Lottery: If you're a sophomore who wants to live with friends from a different Commons, you'll be placed in this lottery. This gives you the chance to select from any open spaces in any of the Commons after the main Commons Lottery is done.
- The General Housing Lottery: This is for rising juniors & seniors. You'll form a group with your friends & try to get a room, apartment, or townhouse that fits your group size.
It's a randomized lottery, which means it's supposed to be fair, but it can also be pretty stressful. The number of single rooms is limited, & there's a lot of demand for the apartment & townhouse-style housing.
Off-Campus Housing: The Senior Year Dream
A limited number of seniors—around 30% of the class—are allowed to live off-campus. This is a HUGE deal, & the process is very competitive. You have to apply for approval during the fall semester of your junior year, & it's also a lottery system. To be eligible, you have to be in good disciplinary standing.
If you're lucky enough to get approved for off-campus housing, you & your roommate group can start looking for places in the village of Hamilton. This is a great option for more independence, but it also comes with the responsibilities of dealing with landlords & paying rent.
And here's a pro-tip for those who make it off-campus, or for those who just have a car in Hamilton: parking can be a bit of a challenge. If you're looking for a convenient & affordable spot near your off-campus house or just a place to park your car without worrying about street parking rules, you might want to check out Prked. It's a cool platform that connects people who need parking with homeowners who have extra space in their driveways or garages. It can be a lifesaver, especially during the winter when snow plows are out in full force.
Leveraging Social Media & Roommate Finders
Even though first-years can't choose their roommates, social media is still a HUGE part of the pre-college experience. & for upperclassmen, it can be a vital tool for finding your roommate group.
The "Class of" Pages
As soon as you’re admitted, you should look for the "Colgate Class of 2029" (or whatever your year is) pages on Instagram & Facebook. There's usually an officially sanctioned one, & a bunch of student-run ones. This is where you can start to meet your future classmates. People will post bios about themselves, their interests, & what they're looking for in friends. It's a great way to get a feel for the vibe of your class.
For upperclassmen, these groups can be a goldmine for finding potential roommates. You'll see posts like, "Hey, my roommate group has an open spot for a fourth person in our townhouse, anyone interested?" or "Looking for two other people to go into the housing lottery with!"
Third-Party Roommate Finders
There are also websites specifically designed to help college students find roommates. Sites like Roomsurf & MeetYourClass have dedicated pages for Colgate students. You can create a profile, answer questions about your habits & interests, & search for other students who might be a good match. This is mostly geared towards upperclassmen who have the ability to choose their roommates, but it can't hurt to check them out as a first-year just to see who else is in your class.
When You Have More Stuff Than Space: A Quick Note on Storage
College life often comes with a surprising amount of stuff. Whether you're moving out of your dorm for the summer, studying abroad for a semester, or just realizing that your half of the room is a little too cramped, you might find yourself in need of some extra storage space.
This is another area where thinking outside the box can help. Instead of a traditional storage unit, you could use a service like Prked. It connects people who need storage with homeowners who have unused space in their garages, attics, or basements. It can be a super convenient & affordable way to store your things, especially if you can find a spot close to campus.
Making it Work: The Art of Being a Good Roommate
Whether you're assigned a roommate as a first-year or you've chosen to live with your best friends as a senior, the key to a successful living situation is communication. It sounds cliché, but it's true.
Here are a few tips for building a good relationship with your roommate:
- Have "The Talk" Early On: Within the first few days of moving in, sit down & have an open conversation about your expectations. Talk about things like when it's okay to have guests over, how you'll handle cleaning, & what your study habits are like.
- Create a Roommate Agreement: It might sound a little formal, but writing down your expectations can be super helpful. Colgate's Residential Life office can actually provide you with a template for this.
- Don't Let Things Fester: If something is bothering you, talk about it. Little annoyances can turn into big problems if you don't address them.
- Be Respectful of Their Space & Stuff: This one is pretty simple, but it's important. Don't borrow their clothes without asking, & try to keep your mess on your side of the room.
- Remember that You Don't Have to Be Best Friends: Some roommates become lifelong friends, & that's amazing. But it's also totally okay if your roommate is just someone you live with peacefully. The goal is a respectful & comfortable living environment.
If you're really struggling to get along with your roommate, don't suffer in silence. Your Resident Advisor (RA) is a great first resource. They're trained to help mediate conflicts & can offer advice on how to handle difficult situations. If things are really not working out, you can also talk to the Office of Residential Life about the possibility of a room change.
Finding a roommate is a big part of the college journey. For first-years at Colgate, it's an exercise in trust & an opportunity to meet someone new. For upperclassmen, it's a strategic process of forming a group & navigating the lottery. Whatever your situation, I hope this guide has been helpful! Let me know what you think, & good luck with your roommate search!
