Successful Suite Living

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SUITE LIVING

• Recognize that not everyone will always get along. There will be times when suite life is tough. However, most agree that the good times far outweigh the tough times.
• Keep the lines of communication open. Nothing is ever resolved by silence.
• Stand up for yourself and your beliefs. If you don’t stand up for yourself, who will?
• Address important concerns in a timely manner. Don’t let things bottle up inside you-address issues of concern in a neutral time with those who are also involved in the issue. Don’t wait until a molehill grows to be a mountain to address a situation. Seek assistance from an R.A. a peer listener or hall director if you feel they can assist.
• Read your Student Handbook. Almost everything you will need to know about Cottey and life in the residence halls is addressed in the handbook. A copy of the Student Handbook is in your suite and is also accessible through the intranet. Hall meetings will cover some of the major topics, but you are held responsible for knowing all the policies in the handbook.
• Seek out and appreciate the positive attributes in yourself and your suitemates. Cottey’s diverse population offers countless opportunities to view life from other perspectives. Seek the best in people and you will usually find it.
• Get involved. Leadership opportunities abound at Cottey. The more involved you become, the more you will learn and grow.
• Be a responsible suite member. Being a responsible member of your suite means doing the dishes when it’s your turn, picking up after yourself, and showing consideration and respect towards others.
• Don’t give up on yourself. Give your new experiences and your new life the time to become as familiar and comfortable as your life before Cottey was.

THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN…

Returning students were asked what they wished they had known a year ago that they know now. You may benefit from their wisdom and experience and know now what they didn’t know last year; for example, I wish I had known…

• I did not have to pack my entire closet and every accessory I had. I came with way too much stuff and forgot things like warm blankets for winter.
• It’s okay to be homesick, we all are in the beginning.
• To bring plenty of quarters!
• That there is support everywhere you look at Cottey. Don’t be afraid to seek help, there are so many opportunities such as tutoring, counseling, and career development centers, just to name a few. Use them to your advantage.
• How important it is to get yourself into a routine. I wish I had done that first semester and stuck with it throughout the year. Not just a study routine or class routine but sleeping hours as well should be very regular in order to maintain optimal performance.
• That everything piles up quickly, including laundry.
• First impressions mean nothing. Take the time to get to know people before you judge them.
• A daily planner will be an essential part of my life at college.. I would have learned to make the best of it in advance!
• There will be tough times but really, really great times, too!
• Make friends outside your suite or hall.
• College is nothing to be apprehensive about. At Cottey you have such a HUGE support system, it is important to know that and to take advantage of it!
• That I would have to adapt to many other utterly different personalities. Why did I assume that everyone would be exactly like me?
• You can take a class that has nothing to do with your major.