Residential Life

Whether navigating the buffet lines in the cafe, walking through the Slane Student Center, or even in their own room assignment, campus ebbs and flows with kinetic energy.  This energy is an integral part of the unwritten, constant dynamic inherent in the college life experience.  Walls are not sound-proof, and learning how to deal with roommates is a practical application of life skills.

• Many students find ways to moderate their own levels of noise tolerance through several self-accommodating techniques:
  • Ear plugs, earbuds, noise-cancelling headphones, etc.
  • Discuss living priorities with their roommate and/or suitemates, and be willing to give and take in the spirit of compromise.  One discussion may not be sufficient.  Constant dialogue is good for a healthy peer-to-peer relationship.
  • Understanding the roommate’s class, study, and social schedule, and plan accordingly for a compatible routine.
  • Study and class assignments should take place in areas designated for these activities rather than the residential room.  Research finds that students study better and retain more in a structured environment (i.e., a student-planned space solely allocated to study, such as a desk or table with minimized distractions).  HPU has several distraction-reduced areas intended for quiet study.
  • Consider rearranging furniture to best suit the flow of traffic or away from a thin wall.

Remind your student that changing the scenery (i.e., leaving the room, getting away from distractions, fresh air, etc.) can be a powerful tool for coping with distress.

It is important to keep in mind that college is inherently different from an individual’s childhood experiences.  Those who persist, and ultimately succeed, are the students who are willing to adapt to a new level of academic rigor and scheduling while sustaining healthy nutrition habits.

• Students are encouraged to explore options to manage daily dietary needs through several self-accommodating techniques (prior to requiring reasonable accommodations be granted) when possible:
  • Keep nonperishable snacks and quick-prep meals on hand in the room.
  • Utilize air fryers, an InstaPot, microwaves, mini-fridges, etc., which are permitted in residential facilities.
  • Explore whether or not the dorm building has a community-style kitchen.
  • The HPU Registered Dietician has access to creative solutions related to food restrictions, meal planning, appropriate dining options, etc.
  • Each dining service on campus includes items prepared with food restrictions in mind.  Dining services are not required to provide a wide variety of selections.  The student’s proactive planning or food shopping can help, especially for late-night study sessions.
  • Kiosks provide quick access to healthy on-the-go breakfast options Monday through Friday until 11:00 am.

Remind your student that the HPU Passport can be used at various dining locations within the City of High Point!

Again, your student will live and interact with peers from differing backgrounds, cultural and religious perspectives, and moral codes and values.  Such an environment presents each student with endless chances to test their long-held beliefs as well as confront them with ideas never considered before. The essential goal   (unwritten higher education curriculum) is to consider an alternative point of view, while formulating their own nonnegotiable beliefs.

* Having never roomed with anyone before and having anxiety over not knowing one’s roommate are not necessarily grounds to justify an accommodation of a single room.

• Students are encouraged to explore options to manage mental health needs through several self-accommodating techniques (prior to requiring reasonable accommodations be granted) when possible:
  • Encourage your student to talk with the roommate early to agree on shared responsibilities, when friends can come over, nighttime expectations, etc.
  • Give the benefit of the doubt: Sometimes, it takes some creative discussions to learn if someone is truly forgetful of the boundaries or intentionally being difficult.  Remember, your student having a working relationship with roommates is the goal.  They do not have to be best friends but instead be willing to communicate and compromise.
  • Roommate and/or suitemate-related problems should be discussed with the RA or Community Director as soon as possible.
  • Encourage your student to consider whether medication is appropriate for managing severe mental illness symptomology (i.e., anxiety and depression).

Encourage your student to utilize resources on campus, such as the Office of Counseling Services, to help manage mental illness. Students may also continue using mental health counseling resources from home if state licensure laws allow it.