Roommate Woes 101

Returning to UNC (or coming for your first year) is an exciting time! Your first week is filled with catching up with old friends, meeting new people, and going out. However, what happens if you quickly find out you and your new roommate are not exactly a match made in heaven? Many of us are capable of dealing with people we don’t particularly like, at least for short periods of time; but living with someone you don’t see eye-to-eye with can be extremely difficult. In order to try and ease your roommate woes, I’ve come up with a few tips on how to deal with different roommate issues.

1. She never cleans…ever.

I wouldn’t say I’m a neat freak by any means. But living with someone who doesn’t chip in on cleaning common areas can become very annoying, very quickly. You have to acknowledge that most UNC students are taking difficult classes, involved in numerous clubs or sports, have part-time jobs and barely have any time to sleep. It can be hard to find time to clean, especially when it’s not exactly high on our priority list.
PossibleSolution:  Make a cleaning chart. It may sound like middle school, but it actually works. Talk with your roommate(s) about chores that need to be done on a weekly basis and make a chart assigning specific chores to each of you. You’ll be amazed where a bit of organization can get you!

2. We have nothing in common.

 
Everyone always talks about how important first impressions are. I’m extremely guilty of deciding whether or not I like a person within two minutes of meeting them. However, if you have a new roommate, this probably isn’t the best route to take; you need to take some time to get to know each other! But what happens if you study completely different things, have polar opposite hobbies, and hang out in entirely different crowds?
 
Possible Solution: Well you’ve probably heard that opposites can attract, and this doesn’t apply in only romantic situations. You may have nothing in common with your new roommate, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t hang out. Make an effort and try something new! Let’s say she’s into country music and you’re a die-hard rock fan. Tell her you want to go to a concert or show with her. You may end up completely hating it, but it will be a new experience that may bring you two closer together!
 

3. I get no sleep from all the noise!  

 
As we all know, sleep is a pretty valuable asset on this campus. It’s hard to live with someone who has an entirely different sleep schedule than you, especially when it seems like they don’t respect you enough to be quiet when you’re trying to sleep. Roommates can do many things to hinder our much-needed Z’s including playing loud music, having friends over on school nights or making late-night phone calls.
 
Possible Solution:  It might seem trivial, but talk about it. Set some ground rules. If your schedule is packed with 8 a.m.’s then let her know that you would appreciate it if after a certain time, she doesn’t have loud friends over or isn’t blasting music. If it’s still an issue and you live in a dorm or campus apartment, talk to your RA and get advice. Maybe all of you can sit down together and come up with an agreement that will keep everyone happy!
 

4. I have no privacy.

Finding privacy when you live in a dorm room with a roommate or in an apartment or house packed with people can be rather hard. For whatever reason you need it, privacy is important for keeping us sane in our hectic lives. What do you do if your roomie is a homebody and never seems to leave?
Possible Solution: Discuss this matter with her and work out some ‘alone time’ hours. Maybe your significant other is coming over or maybe you just have a big test and want to study alone in your room—let her know ahead of time!  If you never talk about it, things will just keep building up.

5. Wait, I have a roommate?

Do you have a roommate you’ve barely seen since you got to UNC? This can be tough, especially if you were hoping to become friends.
Possible Solution: If you don’t even see her enough to talk with her and make plans, shoot her a Facebook message or leave her a sticky note. Make weekly plans for dinner or a movie night where you can actually spend some time together!
Hopefully these tips will help turn a bad roommate situation into a better one! If your problems persist, talk to your RA about changing rooms. However, remember to use this as an absolute last option! It’s always best to try to overcome your problems with someone face-to-face because, you never know, a bad roommate could end up turning into a great friend!