Choose wisely, guys – your roommate can make you smarter

With the right roommate, you can get better grades – and not because you copy their work, either. But this trend doesn’t hold true for women, just men.

No joke. A new study indicates that male roommates of mid to low high school performance who were paired with a high achieving housemate or roommate were able to raise their level of collegiate academic achievement. The trend was noticed most strongly at a small liberal arts college, rather than a large university.

The trend seems to be one of adapting to your environment and emulated behaviors. If your college roomie just wants to get high and play video games all night, you are more likely to do the same. But if he is a focused student who wants to study and prepare for class before cutting lose for a little fun, your behavior may follow suit.

You’re also likely to learn better academic habits and study skills with the help of a smart roommate, who might have good tips for you to apply to your own life.

It’s not entirely clear why this holds true for men rather than women and men. Roommates tend to feed off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I have plenty of friends (male and female) whose behavior patterns are completely cohesive with those of their roommates or housemates.

And of course, this pendulum can swing the other way, too. How many of your super smart friends have learned to cut loose a little while living with a more carefree roommate?

When choosing your next roommate, pick wisely – remember that the person you select may have much greater impact on your life than just how neat they keep the kitchen and what time they go to bed.

 

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