Having an odd number in your freshman friend group tends to end in a lot of tension when choosing a housing plan for your sophomore year. Nobody wants to live alone, right? Well, unfortunately someone will have to be the person to take one for the team and live with a stranger for the second year in a row.
Since this couldn't be avoided in my group of friends, I was the person voted off the island. Of course, having no say in this decision, this didn't exactly please me when I heard this news a few weeks before housing sign-ups were over. I sucked it up and signed up for a random room that already had another person in it. So, take my advice and you hopefully won’t have any issues.
One or both of you aren't wide eyed freshmen desperate for friends, so one or both of you don't need to be close to your roommate. However, it’s beneficial to at least be friendly towards each other so living together runs smoothly. Just because you have your established group of friends you hang out with, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make other friends, especially since it’s only your second year of college. College is about meeting new people and furthering your education. Avoid the awkwardness of having to hide in your room or the silent greetings as you pass each other.
We all know a 21st birthday doesn't go unrecognized. If you are under the drinking age, or just don’t enjoy partying in general, you probably don’t want to hear your roommate spend hours getting ready then come stumbling into the room in the middle of the night. My experience definitely taught me to do a proper Facebook background check beforehand.
If you and your roommate don’t know the same people, chances are you’ll sometimes walk into a room full of strangers hanging out at your place. This can also be extremely awkward if the communication aspect is not strong between the two of you. Instead of introducing you or saying hi, everyone will stare in silence as you walk to your room. Also, you should make sure there’s an understanding about strangers spending the night. There’s nothing fun about going to get ready in the morning and finding someone you’ve never seen before sprawled out on your living room couch.
Unfortunately, some people believe that stealing from your roommate will go unnoticed. I assure you that it does not. I would suggest keeping most of your belongings in your room until you know they won’t go missing. Even keeping food in your bedroom may be a must if your favorite snacks disappear. Just in case your roommate is a little sketchy, remember to close and lock your bedroom door when you’re out of the room.
If she has a boyfriend, you’re either going to have to deal with his presence 24/7 or make her aware that you’re not too fond of living with him. If you choose to just roll with it, be ready to feel like the third wheel every time you’re in the room. When the boyfriend is a nice guy, you’ll be getting a lot of "hellos" and "good mornings" as you leave.
Cleaning the common areas will be a very awkward experience for everyone involved if you don’t really talk much. It will involve silence and the need to avoid eye contact at all costs. Just try to clean when she’s not there for the most part.
In all honesty, do your research on your future roomie and try to get to know them before committing. Jumping into a roommate agreement before you know them can result in regret. So take it from me, rooming with a stranger your second year of college can be risky.
