The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1 - 114

processes. Therefore, residential life administrators must develop an astute understanding of conﬂict dynamics, including nuances
introduced by diverse social identities, values,
and interpersonal skills. Correspondingly,
residential life administrators must also hone
their own conﬂict management skills such
that they are primed to mediate potentially
difﬁcult situations.
Third, roommate compatibility is clearly
not a simple system of inputs and outcomes. It
is shaped by the contextual dynamics that surround the roommate relationship. Examples
include being paired (intentionally or randomly) with a roommate different than oneself
or the propensity to nurture relationships
through social media outlets. Diversity across
the spectrum of social identities impacts what
students expect from their roommates, how
they manage those relationships, what they
learn from those interactions, and the types of
relationships they seek thereafter. Technology
impacts how students increasingly communicate with their roommates and the external
audience that might be invited to participate in
those communications. In that vein, diversity
and technology have been labeled as attributes
of the Millennial generation in today's literature. But the values and customs associated
with these two trends are unlikely to dissipate
when the next generation has entered college.
Therefore, residential life administrators must
continue to consider the depth of their impact
on student relationships and their utility in
helping students manage those relationships
in the pursuit of overall success in college.

114

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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1

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