Residence Life, Housing and Dining Services Blog

Finding the perfect roommate!

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Room with a Friend

Do you already know who you would like to be your roommate? First, complete your housing application, then invite that person to be your preferred roommate using the “preferred roommate selection” feature in the application. They will receive an email and will need to accept your request before it is confirmed.

Being paired with your preferred roommate is never 100% guaranteed so to increase your odds of being paired together in the same room, make sure both you and the other person complete your housing application as soon as possible.

Meet Someone New

Do you want to choose your roommate, but don’t know anyone who would be a good fit? No worries! Once you have been admitted to Missouri State for the 2024-2025 academic year, you can download and join the new student community on the ZeeMee app. You can access the “Find a Roommate” quiz and various chat channels through the ZeeMee app to be able to meet and talk with other incoming students who might also be looking for a roommate.

To get started, download the ZeeMee app, create a profile, and submit the “Find a Roommate” quiz to be matched with compatible students who have also taken the quiz. If you and someone else mutually decide that you would like to live together next year, you will need to make sure to request each other using the “preferred roommate selection” feature in your housing application. ZeeMee is a great tool to find someone, but to make it official, make sure to list that person as a preferred roommate in the housing application and be sure they accept.

Let Us Match You

“Random” roommates are anything but, so if you don’t have a preferred roommate, let us help you! Residence Life will use a set of questions in your housing application called the “roommate matching questions” to pair you with someone who has similar living preferences and personality traits. 70% of the incoming students from the previous year didn’t have a preferred roommate and let us match them with their roommate!

Fill out the questionnaire on your housing application.

 

You will be paired with someone who has similar living habits and interests.

Thinking ahead – Thanksgiving, Winter Break, and Spring 2023!

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What is your plan for next semester?

Please complete the Spring 2023 Planning Form by November 19. Responses are used to help us to plan for Winter Break and the upcoming Spring semester.

SkyFactor Survey Requests – we want to hear from you!

Residence Life, Housing and Dining Services wants to hear from you! On November 7, you received an email from “wess@webebi.com” inviting you to follow a unique link to your personal satisfaction survey. Complete the anonymous survey and you’ll be entered into a drawing to receive $50 in Dining Dollars.

Blair-Shannon, Freddy, Wells and Woods close for Thanksgiving & Winter Breaks.

Important Dates to Remember:

  • November 19: Thanksgiving Break; Blair-Shannon, Freddy, Wells and Woods will close at 10a.m.; all other halls remain open
  • November 27: Blair-Shannon, Freddy, Wells and Woods reopen at 8:00 a.m.
  • December 10-15:  Final Exam Period
  • December 17:  Winter Break; Blair-Shannon, Freddy, Wells and Woods will close at 10:00 a.m.; all other halls remain open
  • December 17 – January 21:  Dining Centers will be closed
  • December 22 – January 4: University offices will be closed
  • January 21:  Blair-Shannon, Freddy, Wells and Woods reopen at 8:00 a.m.

Live in Blair-Shannon, Freddy, Wells or Woods? Need housing over Thanksgiving and/or Winter Break?

A limited number of spaces are available on campus for $25/night. If you are interested, please visit our page for break housing to submit a request. Also, a discounted rate is being offered at the University Plaza Hotel located at 333 S John Q. Hammons Parkway, one block north of Sunvilla Tower. The cost is $83/night which can be split by up to four people. You may make arrangements by calling 417-864-7333. Remember to tell them you are a Missouri State Student to qualify for the special rate. 

No Mail Service During Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks

Please be aware that mail service to residence halls will be suspended during Thanksgiving and Winter breaks. Mail service will not be available until the residence halls reopen in November for Thanksgiving and January for Winter break. Your mail will not be forwarded during these breaks. There will be no access to mail during these times, as all reception desks are not staffed. If you are expecting an important piece of mail or package, please make sure it is mailed to you before the residence halls close or make other arrangements for delivery.

Dining Dollars

Your Dining Dollars will be recharged for Spring semester in January. Also, any Dining Dollars left over from Fall Semester will carry forward to Spring Semester. If you are not returning to the residence halls for the Spring semester, you will lose any unused Dining Dollars.

TV Streaming

Make sure you are taking advantage of our on-campus TV streaming services & free access to HBO Max. More information can be found on our website

Looking for a change… a room change

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The Fall 2022 semester is now in full swing and we hope that your living situation is what you want it to be. However, we recognize that sometimes you meet your best friend or the perfect roommate after you move in. Are you interested in seeing what other spaces might be available for you to move into? Well, you’re in luck; our room change request process is currently open! You can access this by going to the following:

My.MissouriState.edu, Campus Life tab, Housing channel, Room Change Request link

You’ll be able to select a building and see all the rooms that are available for you. You’ll also be able to see contact information for anybody in that room and suite (if applicable) – as well as how they answered the roommate matching questions – to make sure this is a space you will be compatible in before you make your request. If you see there are spaces available on a Living-Learning Community (LLC) floor, you can verify you are eligible for that community by clicking the link provided.

So, you found a room you want? That’s awesome! Follow the on-screen instructions to submit your room change request. Please know that it can take up to three business days to process as we make sure the new room is going to be ready for you. Thank you for your patience while our staff verify it’s ready.

“I don’t have a roommate. Can I keep it as a private room?”

  • Half-empty rooms can be bought out at 1.5x the cost of the traditional room. Email Residence Life that you are interested and we’ll send you info on private room costs and what you need to do. If you don’t have a roommate and do not want a private room, make sure to keep half of the room clean and unused for a new roommate to feel comfortable moving into at any time.

“I want to move rooms but I need help and don’t know what to choose. What are my best options?”

  • Talk to your RA, Hall Director, or contact our office and we can help find a compatible space for you!

“Can I submit a room change request but wait to move until next semester?”

  • Unfortunately not. If you know you’ll want a different room next semester, we recommend submitting a room change request now but you will move as soon as that room change is approved and can be reassured you are already where you want to be. We can not guarantee what rooms will be available when you want to move.

“If a room has two open beds in it, can I still move into that room?”

  • There are two options for moving into empty bedrooms:
    • You can buy-out the room as a private by paying 1.5x the cost of the traditional room. After you submit the room change request, Residence Life will send you information about the cost for that private room.
    • If two people want to move into the room together, they can each submit a room change request for the room, simultaneously.
  • Because of the desire for private rooms, we do not move a singular student into an empty bedroom unless they are willing to buy-out the room as a private.

“I know there is an empty space available somewhere. Why can’t I see it?”

  • Specific floors are designated just for first year students or just for returning / upperclass students, so you likely are unable to see that space because you are not eligible for it. If you have concerns, please contact our office.

“How long are room change requests being accepted?”

  • The room change request process turns off for the Fall 2022 semester on Monday, November 14, 2022 @ 2:00 p.m and will not re-open until a few weeks into the Spring 2023 semester.

Residence Life, Housing & Dining Services
417-836-5536 / ResidenceLife@MissouriState.edu

Spring 2022 Return to Campus Information – Emails Sent to All On-Campus Residents

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All on-campus residents were sent one of two emails on Wednesday, January 12, 2022.

1) Those students who MET the move-in requirements were sent the following:

As we prepare for the spring semester, COVID-19 safety continues to be an important part of the campus experience.  If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or are sick, please do not come to campus. Contact our office to let us know of your delayed arrival or need for alternative housing. Every student living in the residence halls for the Spring 2022 semester is required by the university to be tested unless they meet one of the exceptions.

  • Be fully vaccinated and the documentation has been submitted to Magers,
  • Have been diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19 within the last 90 days, or
  • Are currently being tested as part of the MSU athletics program

At this time our records show you have met the move-in requirement and require no further action to move in to the residence halls when you return from winter break. However, we strongly encourage you to test before you return so you know your status as the semester begins.

 

2) Those students who have NOT yet met the move-in requirements were sent the following:

As we prepare for the spring semester, COVID-19 safety continues to be an important part of the campus experience.  If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or are sick, please do not come to campus. Contact our office to let us know of your delayed arrival or need for alternative housing. Every student living in the residence halls for the Spring 2022 semester is required by the university to be tested unless they meet one of the exceptions below. There is no cost to students for the on-campus testing.

At this time our records show you have NOT met the move-in requirement and require further action to move in to the residence halls when you return from winter break. 

You will need to visit the Testing/Verification location on the day of your arrival.

  • Wednesday, January 12, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union 2nd Floor
  • Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union 2nd Floor
  • Friday, January 14, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union 2nd Floor
  • Saturday, January 15, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge
  • Sunday, January 16, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge
  • Monday, January 17, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge
  • Tuesday, January 18, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge

Notes

  • Plaster Student Union Testing/Verification is on the 2nd floor by Bear Necessities.
  • Parking is not allowed in the Madison Circle in front of Blair-Shannon.
  • You cannot test if you eat, chew gum, smoke or drink (including water) within 30 minutes prior to testing.

Exception 1 – Have tested negative for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours of arrival. You are allowed to get tested prior to your arrival. The documentation must be brought at the time of move-in to the Testing/Verification location. Documentation MUST include the following:

  • The type of test (PCR vs Antigen rapid test) (at-home tests will NOT be accepted),
  • The student’s name
  • The date the test was taken (NOT the date results are received) and that the test was administered not more than 72 hours prior to arrival.

If you are traveling from a distance, we recommend you consider the potential benefits of this option to avoid testing positive on campus and immediately being required to move into isolation or having to return back home.

Exception 2 – Be fully vaccinated at the time of move-in. Students are considered fully vaccinated when it has been at least two weeks since receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks after the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Those who were vaccinated at any location other than at Magers Health and Wellness Center must provide their documentation to Magers. The documentation must be submitted to Magers in any of the following manner at least 72 hours prior to returning, or it must be brought to the Testing/Verification location:

Exception 3 – Have been diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19 within 90 days of move-in. If you were diagnosed with COVID-19 within 90 days of move-in, documentation must be brought to the Testing/Verification location. The university will accept either a dated copy of the positive test result OR a dated copy of the isolation release letter from your local public health department. Documentation must include: student’s name and date the test was taken, which must not be more than 90 days prior to arrival OR the date the student was released from isolation, which must not be more than 90 days prior to move-in.

Exception 4 – Quarantine in our campus COVID housing for 10 full days from the date of arrival. If a student is not vaccinated and does not want to be tested, they have the option of completing a 10 day on-campus quarantine prior to moving into your spring assignment; however, this must be scheduled with Residence Life, Housing and Dining Services at 417-836-5536 prior to your arrival.

Continue to check your email and our website for additional details.

Questions about COVID-19 move-in requirements?  Contact the COVID-19 Response Team at COVID19@missouristate.edu or 417-837-3737.