Going to college is a wonderful experience that a lot of people take for granted. Meeting new people, taking classes you want to take and choosing when you want to take them, and just finding yourself. It's really a great opportunity. But with ever great opportunity, there are some struggles. One of those struggles can be dorming/living on campus. It's an expensive part of the entire college package, but there can be other problems too. If you have/had at least one roommate, you'll probably relate to this article at one point or another. Although I personally love my roommate and we get along really well, it may not be the case for everyone else. Here's 10 arguments that you will probably get into with your roommate(s) if you haven't already:
1. Guests.
How many allowed in the room, what hours they're allowed to be in, and if there's anyone that isn't allowed to be in the room. If you have company and your roommate has an 8 am the next morning, they're probably gonna hate you.
2. The side of the room you want.
Sometimes you want the side closest to the door, but your roommate may want the same thing. You'll have to decide, otherwise it looks like you both will be sharing a bed.
3. Borrowing clothes/using appliances without permission.
This is HUGE. I'm one to almost always say yes when you ask me to borrow something. However, when something is used without one's permission, it can become an issue, especially if what you "borrow" becomes damaged or you use the last of it. Yikes.
4. Your roommate and their significant other
If they come over and spend the night, hey that's cool. What's not cool is when they don't tell you they're not coming over, or they come over and stay longer than expected. It's rude, uncomfortable, and just makes everything a mess.
5. Who cleans what.
As a roommate you have responsibilities. Make your bed, do your laundry, etc. Things also have to be kept clean, like your desk, your refrigerator,
6. The temperature.
It's 40 degrees out and you hate the cold, but your roommate loves cold air. It's a huge yikes, and can definitely cause a problem. Two people, one room, one heating/cooling system.
7. Not locking/unlocking the door.
This one is huge for me. If my roommate gets annoyed about anything at all, it's me locking the door without checking to see if she has her keys. I've become more aware of it now, but when she's not in the room and I leave, I usually assume shes out of the building, so I try to do the smart thing and lock it. Just make sure you don't lock your roommate out, and also make sure you don't do something like leave the doors unlocked at night while you both are asleep.
8. The idea of pets.
Some places to live on campus allow residents to have pets, which is cool if you love animals, but it's not as cool if you (or your roommate) doesn't. From allergies to not wanting that responsibility, people would just prefer a life without one. It's hard enough living with another person; living without another person is a whole different story.
9. Music/TV/Phone Calls
I know you or your roommate probably have speakers to play music. Your roommate is homesick and needs to call their mom. Your favorite TV show is coming on soon. However, if your roommate is asleep, cramming for their next exam, or just trying to enjoy their own space quietly, you might want to keep it down/turn it off.
and finally,
10. Lack of respect for boundaries.
What's yours stays on your side, what's theirs stay on their side. Point blank. You both are probably paying an equal amount for that room, you both should have a equal amount of space to call your own.
