My freshman year in college I had a bad experience with roommates, that I eventually moved out. There was anything wrong with my previous roommate, except for the fact she and I had different lifestyles, so it did not work very well. I moved out half way through the semester and got my own room. I am one of those people who is very particular about everything, a perfectionist, and very moody. Yes, I admit it. I am a bit much, but that makes me, me.
Now where there are bad roommates, there are great ones; I lucked out this year. So at the end of my freshman year, my roommates this year asked me to room with them. To be completely honest, I was on the fence about it. The reason being, is I know myself. So you know what I did? I talked to them, and I told them about my schedule, how I am, and well... everything. Guess what, they accepted it. I think it's cool because we all have different schedules, so at the end of the day, we are excited to see one another.
So you want to know the truth about roommates? Here they are:
1. It is okay not to be best friends with your roommates:
Everyone going into college thinks that they will be best friends with their roommate. That is not always the case. Sometimes you will come across those ones that you just have to be civil with, and that is hard to learn. The matching system that colleges use, does not always work. So if that happens to you, it is okay! Just learn to work with them. If it's really bad, you can always talk to your RA or Housing about moving. Honestly, it is okay not to be best friends with your roommate.
2. You will learn to love their flaws:
When living with people you will learn a lot about them. I always find it funny that other people may do the same weird things you do. You have to deal with the flaws that people offer, and for the time being, learn to accept them.
3. You don't have to hang out with them all the time
If you are anything like me, sometimes people can get to be too much. I have learned in college, especially at a smaller school (where I go). You don't get a lot of alone time. When you are rooming with people/have suitemates it's easy to just stick to those few people, and although it's awesome to be close to them, it is okay to branch out with other people. Going out to different people, and meeting new people is good. You can always have wine nights with your girls, though.
4. Create traditions:
The fun part about living with good friends is making fun traditions. Little nights of movie watching, or starting a new series on Netflix make friends bond closer. The great adventures through cities, or mountains create times and memories you won't forget. So creating traditions with your roommates is important, but again (only if you are lucky enough to live with your friends).
5. Be considerate:
Living with people is awesome, (you don't lonely), but you always have to be mindful of the people you are living with. Making sure you both/ all of you share the same ideas about how everything should be kept up. Cleaning, washing dishes, how often you clean your side, and even buying the toilet paper. Being considerate of others, in general, is important, but especially the people you are living with. Even the little things, like not willing to help take out the trash, can cause issues, so always make sure you guys are on the same page.
6. You might even meet your best friends:
So... yes, you might even meet your best friends. Sometimes having roommates can be a blessing, you learn about them, fight with them, crying with them, and make traditions that no one else will understand. One of the many fun things in college is getting to live with people, and you never know, the people you live with freshman year can turn out to be your best friends.
At the end of each day, it is important to enjoy who are living with, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Even though you might have problems at first, like I did, you can always find people that are a better fit. Now have fun, make memories, and live up the times with your friends that you are lucky enough to live with
