Growing up, I always had my own bedroom. I liked having a room entirely of my own where I could go be alone when I wanted. I was so accustomed to having my own room, that when I was entering college, I was really nervous about having a roommate.
Having a roommate was a big adjustment. I had to get used to sharing a room with someone else, and in less space than I previously had. Thankfully, my roommate and I got along okay. We both liked to keep the room clean, we got along fine, and we were friends, even if we were not best friends. However, there were still times where I had a difficult time living with someone else. Some days I wanted to have the room for myself, even if only for one hour. Getting the room for myself was a luxury. It was something great when it happened, but it did not always work out. It was hard for me to get used to that. I would get frustrated with my roommate for being there because I could not be alone. It did get better, however, and living with my roommate was an experience I had to go through.
My freshman roommate and I do not live together this year, but we remain friends. In a way, I think not living with her this year made me appreciate her more. It made me appreciate how great of a roommate she had been for my first year at college.
She was the first person I knew at college. I have always been shy so it was nice having her to lean on in the first few days as we were meeting new people. Eventually, I was comfortable with meeting people on my own, but having her around was really nice during those first few weeks.
She saw me at all my highs and lows. She saw me angry, sad, happy and stressed. More importantly, she put up with me when I was experiencing all kinds of emotions. And even though we did not become best friends, she was always there for me when I needed someone. I cannot thank her enough for that. To this day, she remains to be there for me if I need her. Sometimes she is the only person I feel will understand certain things I am talking about. Some things only she will know because of having lived with me.
In the end, I do not regret getting a random roommate. My roommate always treated me well, and she taught me a lot about how to live with someone that is not a family member.
My experience may not be the same as others. Some roommates become best friends, some hate each other, and others will fall in between. I was assigned a random roommate, but I have heard from other friends that picking the people you live with can have its own complications. I think any living situation can end up okay as long as the roommates remain understanding of one another, and are willing to compromise when needed.
