First year of college is certainly a novel experience. You are away from your parents for an extended amount of time, surrounded by total strangers, and going to totally new classes. In addition, you are forced to live with someone, most likely someone you've never met: your new roommate.
We all have our "ideal" roommate in our minds and often it's shaped by TV shows, or movies that we've seen in the past. Perhaps you prefer a roommate relationship similar to one depicted in Drake and Josh. Or maybe you'd rather have a crazy relationship similar to Brennan and Dale in Step Brothers. We all go in to our first year with different hopes and expectations of our new roommate.
Here's an outline of an "ideal" roommate relationship I wanted before I moved in.
1. We're basically brothers from another mother
Upon eye contact, we would instantly click. We'd share similar taste in music, sports, anything and everything. He is my other half.
“Maybe someday we could become friends. Friends who ride majestic, translucent steeds, shooting flaming arrows across the bridge of Hemdale.” - Brennan in Step Brothers
2. We'd know when to be social, and when to recharge
There are times to be loud and pumped, but there also needs to be time to relax and recharge. When the clock hits 11:00 PM, my ideal roommate would dim the lights, turn on Drake's legendary album, Take Care, and just let Drake close out our busy day.
3. He showers and has a sense of hygiene
I don't think this needs any explanation.
This list could go on and on, but it didn't matter. My first roommate was the exact antithesis of the roommate I described above, and I was miserable. However, this experience allowed me to learn more about myself and my idea of a "perfect" roommate has drastically changed. I realized that instead of a friend, I'd much prefer a professional relationship with my roommate. I prefer to use my room as an escape from the outside, rather than another place for a social relationship. By the end of the first year, I had found out details about myself that I never knew. From a list filled with grand, idealistic characteristics, my idea of a "perfect" roommate has been whittled down to a very basic list of common decency.
My first year of having roommates, I learned that I'm an introvert.
In my second year of having roommates, I learned that I just don't like having roommates.
This year, I will be living in a single, and I'm excited more than ever.
