Living in Community!

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Roommate Agreements
Community Agreements
Community Standards

Living in a residence hall community is truly an amazing experience! You will instantly be part of a close-knit group of first year students who are all looking to get their UMass Amherst experience started off on the right foot. Your Residential First Year Experience hall community is made up of students from all over Massachusetts, the United States, and the world. Your residence hall will become your home away from home, and we want you to have pride in your community and treat the building and your hallmates with respect. While the same rules that you might have had at home don’t necessarily apply, the same basic principles do!

• Keep your room and the residence hall clean! Throw away your trash. Cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility!
• Keep your room locked and don’t let strangers into the building. Residence hall security is everyone’s responsibility.
• Be prepared to be challenged – living in a diverse community means that things won’t always be perfect. Don’t worry though. The staff in Residential First Year Experience halls will be there to help you every step of the way!

The Residential First Year Experience hall staff members are all great resources to help you sort out any of the challenges that come with living in a residence hall community. To help you make the most of your community experience, take some time to read about Roommate Agreements, Community Agreements, and Community Standards.

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Roommate Agreements

During your first days on campus, your roommate will be an important person in your life. Together, you will make decisions not only about how you want your room to look, but also about how you want to live. Your background, study methods, sleep habits, tastes in music, and campus interests may be similar to your roommate's or they may differ greatly.

Right from the beginning, it is very important to communicate openly with your roommate. Learning to live with another person, to acknowledge and respect your differences, and to allow one another the space to grow is one of the most valuable parts of the residential experience.

All of this takes time. A good place to start is with the Roommate Agreement. You and your roommate can use it to negotiate guidelines about everything from the use of the telephone and the temperature of the room to your views on dating and concerns about guests. During the first two weeks of the semester, your RA will visit your room and work with you and your roommate to complete the Roommate Agreement.

It may be a challenge to talk about your differences, but taking time to discuss your personal needs up front and reach a written agreement is a good way to head off problems before they arise. And remember, during the course of the year if you need help to resolve a roommate issue, the Residential First Year Experience hall staff are always available.

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Community Agreements

Living in a residence hall means you will have many neighbors – all within a short walking distance! In order to make your residence hall community experience as positive as possible, we encourage all students to participate in the creation of a Community Agreement. Very similar to a Roommate Agreement, the Community Agreement is discussion that helps guide you and your neighbors in the creation of a strong, safe, and fun living environment. Your RA and Peer Mentor will be there to facilitate the conversation, but it is up to you and your floormates to make it work.

Be prepared to talk about floor activities and events, open door policies, guests, quiet hours, safety and security, floor meetings, communication, and most important – respect. As always, the Residential First Year Experience hall staff are available throughout the year to help you with any community concerns or issues.

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Community Standards