Originally Posted by sara_h216

Yep. I.e. If one of your roommates of even on the same floor are in the same program..
PS-
I might be pessimistic cuz of how it was in highschool

It's just how some people are. Choose your friends wisely. Sometimes good friendly competition is a good thing. I have it all the time with a couple of my highschool friends. But some people are just really competitive try to stay away from them if you don't like it.

Like Cristina said, it's always good to collaborate with people. You'll find yourself doing that a lot in university especially in subjects where collaboration is easy and even suggested by the course. Like Chem quizzes. They give a week to do the quiz. Quizzes may vary and numbers may change, but they want you to understand the concept. HOW to solve the question. It's a lot easier to do the quiz in groups.

Just out of curiosity, I have a few questions:

- What would the advantages of me sucking it up and staying in a triple in Whidden be? Disadvantages?
- How disadvantaged would I be to move off campus into an apartment?

I really need some suggestions here - I'm so confused. I'm tempted to try staying in rez, but I don't know how happy I'm going to be sharing a very close space with three people. I'm the kind of person that just needs to retreat to my own space, blare my music, etc. I worry that my roommates won't be happy if my boyfriend comes down for a visit, and the like. I know, I know, I sound like the world's biggest whiner...but I want to get the most out of my university experience and at the same time actually obtain a decent mark. lol.

Hopefully I'm making some sense

Originally Posted by jhan523

It's just how some people are. Choose your friends wisely. Sometimes good friendly competition is a good thing. I have it all the time with a couple of my highschool friends. But some people are just really competitive try to stay away from them if you don't like it.

Like Cristina said, it's always good to collaborate with people. You'll find yourself doing that a lot in university especially in subjects where collaboration is easy and even suggested by the course. Like Chem quizzes. They give a week to do the quiz. Quizzes may vary and numbers may change, but they want you to understand the concept. HOW to solve the question. It's a lot easier to do the quiz in groups.

I agree. I expect that competitive people are much more "bothered" by competitive people, if you know what I mean. A person needs to choose how they are going to react to another person's competitiveness: is it really your issue, or is it theirs? If it bothers you, and they are your room mate, then you're going to have to put some effort into choosing to let it roll off of your back and not play the game . This can be a really tough learning experience, but it is a really valuable skill.

Originally Posted by PilotMal

Just out of curiosity, I have a few questions:

- What would the advantages of me sucking it up and staying in a triple in Whidden be? Disadvantages?
- How disadvantaged would I be to move off campus into an apartment?

I really need some suggestions here - I'm so confused. I'm tempted to try staying in rez, but I don't know how happy I'm going to be sharing a very close space with three people. I'm the kind of person that just needs to retreat to my own space, blare my music, etc. I worry that my roommates won't be happy if my boyfriend comes down for a visit, and the like. I know, I know, I sound like the world's biggest whiner...but I want to get the most out of my university experience and at the same time actually obtain a decent mark. lol.

Hopefully I'm making some sense

I had two friends that got stuck in a triple room. The first one didn't interact with his roommates whatsoever. He would just go to my other friend's room to hang out.

My second friend became good friends with both of his roommates. They did everything together. I also went over to visit a couple times have have study sessions with them. This year me and my friends are living in a house and one of my friend's roommates is living with us.

So it can go either way.

I would just give it a shot and see what happens, you never know. It might turn out that you become best friends with two other roommates. I don't think it would be worthwhile to throw away the res experience without trying it out.

Originally Posted by PilotMal

Just out of curiosity, I have a few questions:

- What would the advantages of me sucking it up and staying in a triple in Whidden be? Disadvantages?
- How disadvantaged would I be to move off campus into an apartment?

I really need some suggestions here - I'm so confused. I'm tempted to try staying in rez, but I don't know how happy I'm going to be sharing a very close space with three people. I'm the kind of person that just needs to retreat to my own space, blare my music, etc. I worry that my roommates won't be happy if my boyfriend comes down for a visit, and the like. I know, I know, I sound like the world's biggest whiner...but I want to get the most out of my university experience and at the same time actually obtain a decent mark. lol.

Hopefully I'm making some sense

Whidden is the best residence ever. It's not the newest or the prettiest, but it has the best spirit, hands down.

Like you Mal, I was put in a bunk and loft triple in Whidden in my first year and thought I was going to hate the experience. I learned a lot about living with people (which helps you when you move off-campus -- sometimes the conflicts there are worse than in res [I personally think there are way more off-campus than on]), and a lot about myself and how I study through living there. I didn't study in my room as I would get distracted (MSN, music, people visiting), so I'd often go to the study rooms in the basement or somewhere else on campus.

And I also met a LOT of people who helped me out in first year with editing papers, calc, studying for tests, just a general support system etc. The floor layouts in Whidden make it super easy to meet other people. After my first year I was a Welcome Week rep for Whidden in my second year.

I'm flying out to Vancouver to visit my friends from res in about a week and a half before she flies out to Scotland to go to med school; and simeltaniously visit with another friend from res who re-located to Van. for work. One of my other good friends from res is flying home from China and I'm going to hang out with her (her parents' house is a few hours north of me) before she goes back to finish her teaching term there. You know that ESL article I posted last week-ish? I lived in res in first year with both of those guys too. The bonds you make in res can be the best ones you'll make in University.

In his first year, my boyfriend lived in a bunk and loft triple in Whidden too. He also loved his experience and became a WW rep as well.

I've said this in a few different places, but YOUR RES EXPERIENCE IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT.

Yeah I agree as well. As much as I would've wished for a single room, it's nice to try that in the first year, afterall, you're not always gonna get what you want since it's always a lottery and it happens four times. Also, I think it'll help me get used to using mcmaster resources such as the library and study rooms etc

Originally Posted by PilotMal

Okay, so I got a triple room (Bunk & Loft) in Whidden.
I'm not happy about this:
a) I will not be able to focus, nor will I be happy (I don't think). I NEED my own space - this isn't cool at all.
b) Whidden is the party residence, if I remember correctly. Does not bode well with me.

Guess I'm a little upset. This isn't what I was expecting.

It's honestly what you make of it. I'm not gonna lie, being a in a triple is a bit more distracting, so you have to work around it. There are plenty of spaces to study. There are like 3 study rooms in whidden, there are study rooms in different residences, there are the libraries (thode is my personal favourite), there are different classrooms in buildings that you can go into after hours. there are computer labs in ABB, BSB, KTH, and JHE. There's the little cafe at the gym. Theres a cafe in BSB. As u can see, you have options.
Yeah it is sort of a party residence, but again.. you can work around it. YOu don't have to go to the parties. If you have friends in another res, you can room with them. Invest in ear plugs if you have to.. and of course CA's are there is the noise gets out of hand.
I think it's important to go into res with a positive attitude. Give it a chance before making any judgements.. right? Or, weigh the pros and cons of residence, and if after that you still feel like residence is not for you, opt for living off campus or commuting.
Hope this helps!

Yeah, I guess you guys are right.
I think I'm going to do my best, suck and up, and give it a a shot with a positive attitude. I've lived in close quarters with people for the whole summer before, so I'm sure it won't be too bad. I don't want to miss out on this experience; its part of University after all!

Mom and I are coming to Hamilton on Thursday to do another tour of campus as well as take a close look at Whidden (I do hope they stop there ), and I might stop into the science Academic Advising office to get them to look over my potential timetables (I wont be able to be in town Friday for the course thing, plus its full)

I heard there was no AC in Matthews Hall (where I'm gonna be living). How hot and stuffy does it get? 0_0

Originally Posted by hellonewyork

I heard there was no AC in Matthews Hall (where I'm gonna be living). How hot and stuffy does it get? 0_0

I didn't live in Matthews, but I lived in Edwards. It's the oldest residence and also has no A/C. All you need is a fan near a window. Point out in the day, point in at night. Only if needed. I also used my fan for the first month of so. But then we had to use it every once in a while when the room got stuffy. But in winter if you open the window just a crack it's really good.

I also found that contacting your roomates over the summer and getting to know them a little bit helps with the awkward tension on move in day. Its a lot easier to start living with someone you vaguely know, rather than a complete stranger! Plus that way you can get a feel for what they're like, and what you can agree on/compromise on.

You'll be fine. I'm a triple room survivor. I was terrified before I moved in. My roommates are some of my best friends at university right now.

I didn't live in Matthews but I lived in Wallingford which also didn't have any AC. It didn't get too bad because the nights get pretty cool in september. Just make sure you bring a fan with you and keep the windows open and you'll be just fine!

Originally Posted by Geek

I also found that contacting your roomates over the summer and getting to know them a little bit helps with the awkward tension on move in day. Its a lot easier to start living with someone you vaguely know, rather than a complete stranger! Plus that way you can get a feel for what they're like, and what you can agree on/compromise on.

You'll be fine. I'm a triple room survivor. I was terrified before I moved in. My roommates are some of my best friends at university right now.

Yes, contact your roommate. It'll be nice to get to know them before you move in. And you should discuss who is going to bring a fan, a fridge, a vacuum, etc... The last thing you want is two fridges and two fans. They take a lot of space (unless of course you have those small fridges, but you can put them one on top of the other.)

Originally Posted by hellonewyork

I heard there was no AC in Matthews Hall (where I'm gonna be living). How hot and stuffy does it get? 0_0

It gets pretty hot during Welcome Week. I'd suggest the following, during the day keep your window closed & your blinds down so sun doesn't get in (it sounds so depressing) you can also bring a fan. At night (if it's cooler outside) you can open the windows/blinds to get cool air in the room. This completely kept the room cool for me last year. Also, after Welcome Week my roommate had a mini air-conditioner/fan thing that was awesome but it was never as hot, so we didn't use it too much.

During the winter I found it got stuffy, and if you opened a window it would become too cold... so while no one was in the room, we left the window very slightly open, and when we came back we closed it =] it worked for us.