RES LIFE Roommate Reboot Here's how to get conversation going and how to be proactive for the "I hate my roommate" season. "She licked my food and put it BACK in the fridge." This is a direct quotation from a student speaking to a housing professional in the midst of a roommate conflict. Indeed, strange conversations can often be heard coming out of residence hall offices about a month after move-in. It is also a time when anonymous "my roommate sucks" messages pop up on Yik Yak and sharply worded 24 KNOWLEDGE DOMAINS TALKING STICK in this article by Stephanie K. Carter text messages take the place of faceto-face conversations. How does it get to this point in just a few short weeks? Why does it seem so hard for residents to get along in some instances? Bottom line: What is the housing professional's role in creating or mediating roommate relationships, and why do these relationships even matter? Negotiating a roommate relationship is much like negotiating any type of relationship involving two or more people. Social relationships are crucial for college students. As noted in a 2014 article in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, "The theoretical importance of interpersonal relationships for college Occupancy Establish process for roommate matching based on established criteria. Provide roommate matching tools/assistance to students. Explain the assignments process to constituents.