Two people. One room. Never enough space. This is the reality of living in the dorms at any public university it seems. No, I did not have to deal with the uncertainty of going in blind in the roommate process, but you never know how well it will work until you share a room with one person for ten months out of the year. I worked a job in high school with my roommate and knew him well, but this year has been an awesome experience for the two of us. We have fed off of one another's personality, and I really cannot think of a time where we were mad at one another for more than an hour at a time. Having a roommate that is respectful, adventurous, and supportive has been an incredible boost to my freshman year in college.
Having a roommate that is respectful of one's space, ideas, and personal life is essential to maintaining sanity throughout a stressful freshman year. My roommate and I share the room, but he is respectful of what is mine and I do the same for him. I am thankful that I also have a roommate whom I can trust leaving valuables around. The safety of one's personal belongings is a big change from living at home where most people have their own room to store items.
Having a roommate who is respectful of your emotions has also been important to my success so far in college. I know that I can talk to him about anything and it is great to have that consistent figure to bounce ideas of whenever they come about. He is always honest with me and I appreciate that, even when I may not like what he has to say. Having a roommate who knows when you do not want to talk is also important; there are times that after a bad test I would rather just play FIFA, and my roommate is great about sensing that. As I continue to mature, building a "give respect, get respect" relationship is great for both of us.
An adventurous roommate is also essential to a successful year, both academically and socially. There are times when college can be a real grind to find the motivation to give the max effort required to succeed. A roommate who is willing to get out of the dorm and be social creates a much better atmosphere, and the room does not seem so small when less time is spent in it. It has been great to have a roommate who loves physical activity like I do, so we have found many common activities to bond over. Some healthy competition creates a good environment in the room. Whether it is keeping up in school, or two-on-two basketball, healthy competition between two people keeps spirits high in the dog-days of the second semester.
The most important thing a good roommate can be is supportive through tough times. I had the advantage of having a roommate who had already completed a year of college, so he knew the rigors that college life contained. My first chemistry test, I was still in the high school mode of thinking — where if I did not score a 95 or above on anything science related I considered myself a disappointment — but I did not do very well on that test. I was pretty upset at first and questioning all kinds of decisions I had made for college, but Erik was there to calm me down. He told me about adjusting expectations and learning to not lower standards but realize reality. He has been the rock in my life my first year away from home and I can not thank him enough. A great roommate has kept me on the right path for entering society with the tools neccessary to succeed both in the workforce and in my social life.
