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| Jack Klugman and Tony Randall stars of TV's "The Odd Couple"(1970-1975) |
And yet, in spite of their many differences (described in part on page 22), they became best friends, and Darlene greatly enriched the main character's college experience.
This question set has several parts. You are free to answer any of them that you consider thought-provoking.
1) To what extent is it a good idea for housing offices to consider race when matching students? Should housing surveys ask students their race? Should they ask if students are comfortable rooming with some who is of a different race or from a different country? Should housing surveys allow students to share photos of themselves with other potential roommates? Should they allow students to see the names of potential roommates?
2) How common is it and how wise is it for students to seek out roommates who look like them, either in terms of physical features or in terms of the way they present themselves to the world on social media?
3) How important is it to the college experience for someone to learn how to share living spaces with someone whose tastes, hobbies, and interests are different than theirs are?
4) How might college residential life offices encourage students to approach the experience of difference and novelty outside the classroom as an opportunity for growth and not as an obstacle?
I think it’s very common for people to seek out college roommates who look like them. I think the thought process may be that if you’re roommate LOOKS similar to you, then you guys may live a similar, thus harmonious, college life together. I don’t necessarily think this unwise, I just think you need to be careful. Just because you choose somebody who looks like you, doesn’t mean you will automatically get along. My mom tells me stories all the time of the complicated dynamic of being college roommates. She always encouraged me not to room with someone who was too similar to me, because it would end in bickering and annoyance towards one another, even competition. I think picking a roommate who doesn’t have the same interests and cultures as you keeps the environment original and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your mom that being roommates with someone who is a lot like you can lead to fighting or competition. However, I do believe that rooming with someone that has different interests than you might be difficult because it might be harder to become close friends with them. I believe it can sometimes be beneficial to be roommates with someone who has different interests than you, but other times can make the situation difficult. I'm curious do you think it's more common for people to seek out roommates who look like them, or roommates who are involved in the same things they are involved in?
DeleteA balance of pushing yourself towards enrichment while not overwhelming yourself is key. You want some comfort when moving out into an unfamiliar environment, but you also almost certainly don't know who you are and what you want out of life while in college. The only way to figure that out is to push yourself into becoming your best you.
ReplyDeleteAnswering part 1 of this question.
ReplyDeleteSeeking similarities in a roommate or partner is not a bad thing and can actually help those people connect. Seeking someone who is the same race as you can also help you connect and feel a common ground between you and that person (the common ground between the main character and Darlene to start). However, when colleges place students of the same race in the same room when they are the only students of that race can be racist. I feel that in that situation it's a very delicate line between racism and putting two students together who might feel more comfortable or at ease with someone who might share those common experiences. I feel that sharing names and profile pictures is a great way to familiarize yourself with people before you move in with them, however if the goal of sharing those pictures and names is to vet out those who aren't the same race or culture as you, then that is crossing the line into racism. Colleges do not have the right to assume two people of the same race, or two people who are a part of the minority, should room together. The choice should be left up to the students to decide who they want as a roommate.
Answering part 3
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is extremely important to the college experience to learn how to coexist with people that are different. When you're growing up you live with family your whole life. While this isn't always the case, the people surrounding you usually share similar ideals, interests, and hobbies. But when its your time to leave and start living on your own, I believe that living with people that are different can help you broaden your horizons, opening you up to new hobbies, interests, and ways of thinking. Whether you end up liking the person or not doesn't change the fact that you experienced something new that can allow you to grow as a person.
I’m not sure if there is or isn’t an ethical line being crossed in housing considering race when pairing roommates. We mostly agree as a society that segregation is a cruel civil injustice. So, in that regard if housing were strictly surveying to house students categorized by race I would be disappointed in that university’s policy. After all we are a country who has came along way with this sort of thing and as we have just hosted the World Cup I think it’s important to consider the diversity of our country and our academia as a strength rather that a potential weakness.
ReplyDeleteIt’s important for young people to begin to realize how much stronger their social life becomes when they learn how to step outside of their personal cultural’s and ethnicities norms. Even more so in area like south east Oklahoma I think this is important. Kids in Brooklyn, or in most cities are much more accustomed to diverse social networks.
A final note on this. Something I recently came across in my real estate internship is a house listed on the MLS in an ADA, Ok neighborhood, Noris Hills to be exact had the neighborhoods covenant attached to the MLS listing. Covenant number 7 said something along the lines of this property or any of its belongings will not be sold to any race other than Caucasian. To think things like that are still floating around in or communities culture is definitely an eye opener to how far we still have to grow.
-James Wilkin
DeleteI will be answering part 3 of this question
ReplyDeleteI believe it is extremely important for college students to learn how to share living spaces with someone whose tastes are considered different than theirs. As you live, you will meet many people whose interests, hobbies, and tastes will not mirror your own, and that is perfectly ok. It would be boring if we were all the same in each and every way imaginable. I think it is a wonderful idea to embrace the differences among other people. Especially in college, there will be people from all kinds of walks of life, and being able to learn to share space will help you be able to do the same to others in the future. Who knows, you may even discover a new side of yourself when you experience their interests too.