I'm 20 and I'll be starting my first year this fall. I want to live in residence, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I want to live on campus because I don't want to cook much (if at all) and want to be close to everything. I have some questions:

1. If I get a double, will they put me with someone the same age or a 17-18 year old?
2. Is there a better chance of me getting a single being a bit older? It works this way with other universities I've considered, but Mac seems to lack a bit in some aspects.

3. Final question. On the questionnaire can you specify that you cannot room with someone who smokes, uses perfume or will bring cooked eggs back to the room (if that's allowed)? I can't breath around any of those smells. O

Originally Posted by SBeaumont

I'm 20 and I'll be starting my first year this fall. I want to live in residence, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I want to live on campus because I don't want to cook much (if at all) and want to be close to everything. I have some questions:

1. If I get a double, will they put me with someone the same age or a 17-18 year old?
2. Is there a better chance of me getting a single being a bit older? It works this way with other universities I've considered, but Mac seems to lack a bit in some aspects.

3. Final question. On the questionnaire can you specify that you cannot room with someone who smokes, uses perfume or will bring cooked eggs back to the room (if that's allowed)? I can't breath around any of those smells. O

1. I don't think they consider age, especially when the difference is only two years...really, it's only a "big deal" if you make it one.
2. Not as far as I know. It's a lottery. And again, two years isn't much of a difference.
3. Smoking yes, perfumes maybe, eggs probably not...that's something you'd have to work out with your roommate. Also eggs isn't something that's all the time...like if someone smokes or wears perfume there would ALWAYS be that scent. Eggs would last like five minutes, but you can probably just ask your roommate to spend those five minutes eating eggs in the common room or something.

Originally Posted by starfish

1. I don't think they consider age, especially when the difference is only two years...really, it's only a "big deal" if you make it one.
2. Not as far as I know. It's a lottery. And again, two years isn't much of a difference.
3. Smoking yes, perfumes maybe, eggs probably not...that's something you'd have to work out with your roommate. Also eggs isn't something that's all the time...like if someone smokes or wears perfume there would ALWAYS be that scent. Eggs would last like five minutes, but you can probably just ask your roommate to spend those five minutes eating eggs in the common room or something.

With scented products, I can't have any in my room. Perfumes, lotions, hair sprays, air fresheners, some cleaning products all make me dizzy, make my eyes red, mouth dry, nose run and give me headaches. The smell of eggs actually lasts quite a while. Not as long as perfumes or smoking though. About an hour. I'm allergic to them (get nauseous, dizzy, headaches, lightheaded) being around them when cooked or eating them. So I'm concerned with that. But I'm sure the egg thing could be worked out, everything with a scent is a bit harder. I don't know if I have to fill out a special requests form or not. I'll probably have to call and ask I guess.

Originally Posted by SBeaumont

With scented products, I can't have any in my room. Perfumes, lotions, hair sprays, air fresheners, some cleaning products all make me dizzy, make my eyes red, mouth dry, nose run and give me headaches. The smell of eggs actually lasts quite a while. Not as long as perfumes or smoking though. About an hour. I'm allergic to them (get nauseous, dizzy, headaches, lightheaded) being around them when cooked or eating them. So I'm concerned with that. But I'm sure the egg thing could be worked out, everything with a scent is a bit harder. I don't know if I have to fill out a special requests form or not. I'll probably have to call and ask I guess.

If it's an allergy, then yes there are forms that you would need a doctor to sign. You seem to be confusing an allergy with an intolerance, although if you can get a doctor to sign off on it (which shouldn't be too hard) you can probably still request the accommodation.

It does require some compromise though. I have the same thing with fish, except I actually am allergic to them, and it just requires communication with the people you live with, along with the willingness to compromise. For us, I couldn't say "you can't eat fish" because it was the main component of my roommate's diet, so our rule was that you had to keep the windows open to keep it at a minimum, and don't touch anything without washing your hands so I don't end up with a nasty rash. I still had a bit of a reaction to the scent, but it was manageable, and she kept her fish-eating to a minimum inside the room. It's all part of living with people.

Originally Posted by starfish

If it's an allergy, then yes there are forms that you would need a doctor to sign. You seem to be confusing an allergy with an intolerance, although if you can get a doctor to sign off on it (which shouldn't be too hard) you can probably still request the accommodation.

It does require some compromise though. I have the same thing with fish, except I actually am allergic to them, and it just requires communication with the people you live with, along with the willingness to compromise. For us, I couldn't say "you can't eat fish" because it was the main component of my roommate's diet, so our rule was that you had to keep the windows open to keep it at a minimum, and don't touch anything without washing your hands so I don't end up with a nasty rash. I still had a bit of a reaction to the scent, but it was manageable, and she kept her fish-eating to a minimum inside the room. It's all part of living with people.

I know what an allergy is... I am allergic to eggs, have been my whole life. If I eat them or anything with them I get hives. If I touch them I get a rash. I wouldn't mind compromising, if the side effects weren't so bad. I mean, I don't want to walk into my room and have to throw up because there are eggs in there or lay down for a few hours because I'm so dizzy or have such a bad headache I can't walk. With scented products, I don't know if that's an allergy or I'm just sensitive. But being around them is just as bad, if not worse.

Honestly, I would consider living off campus. It's just better to have your own space, especially when you have a lot of needs like these. I had a roommate with similar problems in first year and she had a lot of trouble. It wasn't her fault, but a lot of people saw her as whiny or "princess"y.

Further, there's a big maturity gap between 17-18 and 20. My current roommate started Mac at 20 and lived off-campus from the getgo, because 18 year olds go nuts the first time they get away from their parents, party insanely, etc... by 20, we've already passed that phase. I dunno, I had only been out of high school a year when I was in rez and I hated it because of this exact reason.

There's a whole other ton of reasons why I think rez is overrated if you want me to elaborate. You can have just as great a first year experience living off campus if you choose to do so.

Originally Posted by Kudos

Honestly, I would consider living off campus. It's just better to have your own space, especially when you have a lot of needs like these. I had a roommate with similar problems in first year and she had a lot of trouble. It wasn't her fault, but a lot of people saw her as whiny or "princess"y.

Further, there's a big maturity gap between 17-18 and 20. My current roommate started Mac at 20 and lived off-campus from the getgo, because 18 year olds go nuts the first time they get away from their parents, party insanely, etc... by 20, we've already passed that phase. I dunno, I had only been out of high school a year when I was in rez and I hated it because of this exact reason.

There's a whole other ton of reasons why I think rez is overrated if you want me to elaborate. You can have just as great a first year experience living off campus if you choose to do so.

I guess it depends on the person, then. There were quite a few people in my res who were 19-21 and it really made no difference.

But yeah, I agree that if you have a lot of needs that you're not willing to compromise on, res probably isn't the best idea. Even if you get a single, you won't be able to control what goes on outside your room. I never had an issue with cigarette smoke in res, but if you're put in a room next to someone who wears perfume or if you're near the common room and people cook eggs, you won't be able to control that.

Intolerances can show up similar to allergies but they're not necessarily. Allergies have a very specific definition that the vast majority of people widen to fit any adverse reaction to something, including health care professionals, because people find allergies easier to understand and explain to people than intolerances...it's like a legitimacy thing, where people see allergies as more legitimate problems than intolerances even though intolerances are just as real of a problem, and way more common than allergies. It's really beside the point and so I'm not going to argue with you about it, but from what you described, it doesn't fit a true allergy.

There is a form for "Special Consideration" that should be filled if you require special treatment. Fill it, mention you are allergic to eggs, get a doctor to sign it and request in the form a single room. You will get it 100%. That is what I did for first and second year. I have personal issues and due to that I was able to get single rooms in Les Prince both times. You just have to submit the form asap.
Good luck!

I'm a CA in residence and as far as I know, if you get a double, you most likely will not get put with a 17 year old because they TRY to put roommates together who are within 2 years of each other. As far as I know, because you are entering 1st year, you don't have an increased chance of getting a single room. If you were an upper year, you would have a higher chance, but not because of your age. And yes you can put down you can't room with someone who smokes, but as far as the eggs and perfume thing, I don't think so. If you are worried about being 20 years old and living in res, don't be. This year there was a 27 year old living in res, and I personally know people who are 22 or 23 living in res

I'm 20, almost 21 living in res. I don't like perfume, or the smell of eggs. We already have so much in common, I think this is the beginning of a great friendship.

Get a single apartment off-campus and learn to cook or just get a meal plan and eat on campus if you're that intolerant. Age isn't an issue, it's your inflexibility is.

Aside, lol 20th century disease.

Just fill out the special consideration form if you have an actual allergy and they will help you out

To those who have basically been saying I'm being a baby, imagine this:

You walk into your bedroom and instantly your eyes turn red, get itchy and water, your nose gets itchy and turns into a waterfall and your mouth becomes dry and itchy. While you are sitting there you are scratching the roof of your mouth continuously with your tongue which will eventually rub it raw, you are also trying to hold Kleenex under your nose so you don’t have snot running down your face and also rubbing your eyes while trying to hold a warm, wet cloth over them for some relief. You are sneezing every 10 seconds and can no longer breathe through your nose because it causes a sharp pain up your nose, not to mention it is completely plugged. Then the headache sets in and starts pounding. If that is not enough you become dizzy and have mild breathing difficulties. In a half hour your face is going to be red and blotchy, in an hour the rest of your exposed skin will be as well. You are like this 24/7 for 8 months because you were roomed with someone who has scented products in the room. If you are going to try and tell me that you'd be perfectly okay with the above, then you are either a liar or an idiot.

Medically YES I have an allergy to fragrance products and eggs. It is called allergic conjunctivas, allergic rhinitis and an egg allergy. Self-diagnosis? No. That comes directly from my doctor. My family cannot have any scented products in the house or I have an allergic reaction.

True, I cannot control what goes on outside my room but guess what? That’s been the story my entire life. When I walk down the shampoo isle I have to cover my mouth and nose with my hand or sleeve otherwise I will have an allergic reaction. The same goes for when I walk by someone who drenches themselves in perfume/cologne. If someone sits next to me who smells of perfume, I get up and move. If someone is cooking eggs in the house, I go somewhere else for a while. I’ve been doing that my entire life.

Yes, I just filled out a special accommodation form the other day and sent it in.

While I wasn't mocking you, I really don't think this explanation helps to improve your image.

Originally Posted by SBeaumont

To those who have basically been saying I'm being a baby, imagine this:

You walk into your bedroom and instantly your eyes turn red, get itchy and water, your nose gets itchy and turns into a waterfall and your mouth becomes dry and itchy. While you are sitting there you are scratching the roof of your mouth continuously with your tongue which will eventually rub it raw, you are also trying to hold Kleenex under your nose so you don’t have snot running down your face and also rubbing your eyes while trying to hold a warm, wet cloth over them for some relief. You are sneezing every 10 seconds and can no longer breathe through your nose because it causes a sharp pain up your nose, not to mention it is completely plugged. Then the headache sets in and starts pounding. If that is not enough you become dizzy and have mild breathing difficulties. In a half hour your face is going to be red and blotchy, in an hour the rest of your exposed skin will be as well. You are like this 24/7 for 8 months because you were roomed with someone who has scented products in the room. If you are going to try and tell me that you'd be perfectly okay with the above, then you are either a liar or an idiot.

Medically YES I have an allergy to fragrance products and eggs. It is called allergic conjunctivas, allergic rhinitis and an egg allergy. Self-diagnosis? No. That comes directly from my doctor. My family cannot have any scented products in the house or I have an allergic reaction.

True, I cannot control what goes on outside my room but guess what? That’s been the story my entire life. When I walk down the shampoo isle I have to cover my mouth and nose with my hand or sleeve otherwise I will have an allergic reaction. The same goes for when I walk by someone who drenches themselves in perfume/cologne. If someone sits next to me who smells of perfume, I get up and move. If someone is cooking eggs in the house, I go somewhere else for a while. I’ve been doing that my entire life.

Yes, I just filled out a special accommodation form the other day and sent it in.

Originally Posted by SBeaumont

To those who have basically been saying I'm being a baby, imagine...

I don't think anyody's accusing you of that. I have asthma and allergies too, although clearly not as severe, but I do have an idea of where you're coming from. However, you ARE being inflexible -- is it your fault, no. Will (some) people see it that way, probably. My roommate in first year had a LOT of allergies and chemical sensitivities. A lot of people on our floor just thought she was being a diva and wanting things her way. Much as I love the girl (and I do, we are close still four years later), I would not have chosen to live with her again because there were just too many rules.

Even if you do get a single room, you will be living on a floor with a bunch of others who will probably cause you to have reactions. The common room would be a problem too. Can you deal with the guy living next to you eating eggs every morning and bathing in cologne, even if you are separated by a wall? That's the bare minimum you could have to deal with so if the answer is no, get your own place (trust me it's loads better).

Good luck!