How to Survive Assigned College Roommates
On this episode of My Roommate from Hell, Janice and Kiara clash when Janice eats Kiara’s last Clif Bar without permission. Words are said, active b*tch faces are thrown, and grudges are held— will the girls survive this roommate assignment or will they have to beg for new roommates?
Let’s take a step back and prevent the hypothetical Janice-Kiara situation before it becomes the next four months of our lives.
Five Proactions that Made Me a Happy Roommate:
Try these out to decrease the chance of clashing with your roommate!
1. Be open about expectations.
If Resident Assistants don’t already have you fill out a roommate contract together, do one yourself verbally. Here are a few examples:
“Please don’t touch my stuff, especially my ladybug Pillow Pet,” or
“If you didn’t buy it, don’t eat it,” or
“Feel free to use or eat whatever’s mine,” and
“Do you have anything in particular you don’t want me to mess with?”
2. Make boundaries about guests clear.
If you don’t want your roommate to invite significant others or hookups over who might not respect your space, let them know ahead of time that you don’t want romantic guests over. But remember that you have to abide by your own rules, too!
You could also agree to only have guests over when the other is not home.
3. Beware of the grudge!
If your roommate does something that upsets you, realize that it was most likely not out of spite. Make sure to say something directly to them about it, like: “Hey, maybe don’t do ______ next time.”
4. Resist the urge to gossip.
Gossiping about a roommate will only increase negative feelings towards them and make it less fun to be in your own living space. Not to mention if the gossip gets back to them, there’s a chance they’ll feel hurt or angry.
5. You don’t have to be BFFs!
Sometimes, the best way to stay on good terms with a roommate is to interact minimally and find times to relax in your room when they aren’t there.
Take a Deep Breath!
Most likely, your roommate isn’t the devil incarnate. They’re just used to living differently than you are and they have a different personality.
By following these five tips, I was able to get along with my roommate from Day 1:
Be honest about expectations, make boundaries clear, beware the grudge, resist the urge to gossip, and don’t force a friendship.
Good luck, and happy rooming!
Been there, done that? What’s your assigned college roommate story?
