It is not uncommon for college kids to come across situations in which they have to learn to deal with people they don't like, whether in regards to a living situation or a group project for one of their classes. Of course, learning to deal with people you don't like is a valuable tool for the future, but at what point is it okay to say that you've had enough? When is it time to draw the line and stand up for yourself?
Learning the lesson of dealing with people you don't like can be hard on yourself, especially when you are the one making compromises and changing yourself to better the situation. You might find yourself in a situation where it seems as though the other person is calling all the shots, while you are walking on eggshells trying not to upset them and adhere to all of their requests. Being in college is stressful enough without the idea of worrying about someone's feelings when they couldn't care less about yours.
There comes a point in time when that person that you don't like becomes a bully. When you make yourself that flexible for someone, chances are, they will take advantage of it. You give all your energy to someone that isn't giving you energy back, and pretty soon, you realize that you're only draining yourself. You finally realize that you're giving the majority of your energy to make someone happy when you don't even like them in the first place.
In my personal situation, it took a great friend to finally encourage me to stop giving in to the unbelievable demands of my person. I realized that I was punishing myself by being so willing to give in to their ridiculous requirements for everything. I questioned whether I was being the bigger person by trying to be nice, or the smaller person for not standing up for myself. When I finally did stand up for myself, I immediately felt the stress of the situation go from my shoulders to theirs. I realized that when you end the effort to learn the lesson of getting along with someone you don't like, you are not only taking the stress away from yourself, but you're also in a better position to negotiate what you want. In the end, you've learned not only how to get along with them, but also how to stand up for yourself.
