Avoiding a disaster roommate situation
The snoozers, the huggers, the all-nighters and the screamers, no matter what kind of person they are, you are stuck with your roommate for the next nine months.
It can be hard to adjust to one another but by taking advice from seasoned roommates, the process can be a lot smoother.
Look for more guides to campus life in Friday’s Verge.
Clean up after yourself
Even though your mess is on your side of the room, it is still one room. Clean up your dirty laundry and don’t leave seven Pepsi cups from the Food Court on your desk. If you know your roommate is going to have a guest over, even go as far as making your bed. One room is one appearance.
Go to dinner together
Get to know your roommate. No matter how uncomfortable it may be, you are going to be sharing a room for the next nine months, and you might as well find out who they are. While you do not have to go everywhere together, it is important to get out of the room together. Introduce them to your set of friends. Let them be involved in some of your free time. Then, when you are in the room you will feel more comfortable around each other. Find a good balance between being together and finding your own fun.
Communication is key
With all relationships, you must speak to each other in some form in order to for it to be successful. If you have a problem with something your roommate is doing, such as having a friend over right before exams, talk to them nicely about how you feel. Take them aside one day and tell them what your problem is. Be willing to compromise to fix the problem. If you and your roommate cannot come up with an agreement, ask someone neutral to help such as an R.A.
Help each other out
As those of us who have gone to college for anytime know, some weeks are more stressful than others. On these weeks, give your roommate a break. Help with the dishes. Don’t have friends over. Leave the room for a while to give your roommate some space. Then on your stressful weeks, hopefully, your roommate will do the same.
Kayleigh can be reached at 581-7942 or at
