One of the biggest challenges for many incoming freshman can be finding a roommate. Your roommate will be the one you come home to after both the worst days and some of the most exciting days of your college experience. Article after article on “How you know you and your roomie are friends for life” or “50 Things you’ve asked your roommate this year” only builds the excitement over finding the girl who could be your best friend or even your maid of honor one day.
Endless amounts of time is spent Facebook, Instagram, and Pintrest stalking to see how compatible you are with potential roommates. Sadly, sometimes what you thought was the perfect fit can go downhill fast.
- Hoping that when you open the door, she is not in there. It was always disappointing to open the door to receive a cold glance from across the room.
- Memorizing her schedule so you know when to avoid the room. You'll know that every night she will be there at 5pm and that by 5:30 she will be gone for the evening.
- Making sure you’re in bed before she gets back from her boyfriend’s house. If not, count on being awake for at least two more hours as she goes through her nightly routine of blow drying and straightening her hair.
- Feeling shy and awkward about asking her to step out for a while. Whether it’s because you’re having a family issue and need to talk privately for a while, or because the good looking guy from your building wants to hang out (in a room that doesn’t smell like feet), it will be an awkward conversation.
- There’s a good chance you don’t have the same friends. This can cause an uncomfortable situation when you’re having a girl’s night and your roommate brings her boyfriend over to hang out. A dorm room is only so big!
- Not being able to talk to about the big things. When I got cut from my top pick sorority, I felt alone and judged by her for feeling so hurt. When I received a bid from my next choice, there was a “now you can stop talking about it” feeling instead of someone to share the excitement with.
On paper we really were the perfect pair, but after a few weeks together, things started to fizzle. Even if you don’t click with your roomie, it’s important to keep communication clear and to coexist peacefully. If not, there’s a good chance there will be a lot more drama than you wish, and your favorite DVD will never be returned.
