With summer starting up a lot of freshmen students will be getting their room assignments in the mail in the coming weeks. If you are one of them, this article is for you.
Living in a dorm with someone you don’t know can be a bit daunting, and it is nothing like you’ve ever experienced before - I hope. Do try to take some of our advice on how to deal and live with your new roomate for the next eight or so months.
First things first…
Facebook your roomate. It’s pretty much the standard now and it’s a casual way to get to know your roommate without being too creepy. If you have a phone number, call them up and talk for a minute or two. Figure out which person is bring the microwave/refrig/HDTV/etc.
When you actually meet in person don’t be judgmental, just be yourself (unless you are judgmental, in which case just play nicely). Hopefully your school did a decent job at matching you, try to find your similarities.
Play by the rules
You made it out of your parents’ house - you still have to play by the rules. You don’t have to be weird and official about it, but do try to come to a common understanding about respect for your roommate and their stuff. Some people say it cool to borrow their stuff, some don’t - things that you can clear up immediately will lead to less tension and problems in the future if people play by the rules. Things to talk about include: drinking, bringing people back to the room, when you generally go to sleep, personal space, how cleaning is going to work, and anything else that either of you think is important.
When the shit hits the fan
Eventually you or your roommate will do something to piss the other off - this is inevitable. The best thing to do in this situation isn’t to sit on the problem, but to deal with it immediately. Just letting little annoyances brew into big problems is when big fights occur, things get broken, and your R.A. get’s pissed because he got a bloody nose trying to break up a fight (maybe not so much for girls). You don’t want things to get out of hand so deal with issues when they arrise. Just talk about it civilly, realize compromised might have to be made and actions adjusted for the future.
One thing to remember
There is one important thing in any relationship, especially when you are living with someone - respect. If you try to respect your roommate and their wants they are more likely to do the same for you, this makes life easier. As they say, a little respect goes a long way.
They’ll be gone someday
Sometimes you just get stuck with a shitty roommate, unlucky but that’s just the way it works. Just remember that in a matter of months you won’t ever have to see them again if you wish. After freshman year you can live with your friends and not have to worry about crappy roommates!
Author note: I know a little bit about crappy roommates. First semester as a freshman I had a roommate who stalked my girlfriend. Second semester he switched rooms with someone I thought was better - turned out he wasn’t. Let’s just say he stole my shit and got arrested during finals week. It isn’t cool to steal your roomate’s chemistry book three days before his final so you can sell it for cash for acid.
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