Cheers and Jeers of Living with Roommates

For many people, college is their first experience of living with other people: from sharing a room, a bathroom, food, and clothes to constant social interaction and lack of privacy. For the social types among us, the adjustment comes easily. If you interact well with others, it’s easy to slide into a routine of sharing a common living space. A lot of people look back and say that their college roommates were some of the best friends they’ve ever had. For others, that’s not always the case. Learning to live with other people is an adjustment, sometimes of drastic proportions. If you’re accustomed to privacy and prefer to spend time on your own, having a roommate isn’t always easy.Whether you fall into the first category or the latter, here’s a list of the benefits of getting along with your roommate(s), and some useful suggestions if you’re struggling with the adjustment.

Cheers:

• Having a roommate that lets you loan out their closet (and is always respectful with your stuff when you loan out yours.)
• Being able to ask your roommate for advice on absolutely everything; boys, friends, fashion, professors, classes, and tough assignments, etc.
• Having someone to convince you it’s ok when you’re too lazy to make the trek up to the gym.
• Not feeling awkward when you have to confront one of your roommates about their annoying habits.  
• Having a convenient companion when you decide last minute to go Leitrim’s on a Wednesday and everyone else is studying.
• Being able to vent about a long day after spending hours at Dinand and getting absolutely nothing accomplished.
• Not feeling judged when your roommate sees you finish off a pint of Ben & Jerrys (that you ate entirely by yourself).
• Having someone to take care of you when you’re sick or when today is just totally not your day.

Jeers:

• On the days you get to sleep in, your roommate wakes you up while they get ready for their 8am lab
• Make your schedule known to your roommate. If you remind your roommate what time your earliest classes start, there’s more of a chance your roommate will try to get ready quietly in the morning.
• You see your roommate wearing your favorite sweater that she didn’t to borrow
• It’s ok to be possessive of your favorite clothes; after all, it is your wardrobe. Some people are more comfortable sharing clothes than others. If you’d prefer for your stuff to stay your stuff, it’s ok to set limits on your closet.
• When your roommate conveniently forgets to pay you back for groceries  
• It’s ok to let this one slide, but if your roommate asks you for money the next time they run errands, remind them that you paid for their stuff the last time.
• Your roommate won’t stop blasting Meaghan Trainor’s new EP while you’re trying to study for Anthro
• While we all love belting Dear Future Husband while getting ready to go out, sometimes we need more of a mellow vibe when we’re cramming for exams. Don’t be afraid to ask your roommate to keep the volume down or suggest they use headphones.
• When your roommate stumbles home from Mahoney’s at 3am and you had already reminded them you have to wake up early for practicum.
• Communication is key. To avoid a lack of sleep resulting from your roommate’s weeknight escapades, always tell your roommate before they go out that you need to be up early the next morning.
• Your roommate refuses to do their share in keeping the room clean
• When it comes to cleanliness, it’s not unreasonable to expect your roommate to take care of some basic housekeeping. In this department, it can’t hurt to drop subtle hints. You don’t want your roommate to think you’re accusing them of being a slob, but it’s ok to remind them that you were the one who did the dishes the last time or that it’s their turn to take out the trash.
• Your roommate brings a guy back to the room on a night when you have a 10-page paper due
• It’s important for your roommate to feel comfortable having guests in the room, but it’s another thing for them to be too comfortable. If you don’t want your roommate to cross that line, be clear about your feelings on the matter and don’t be afraid to remind your roommate of them.
• When your roommate wears your heels and they get absolutely trashed
• For a basic rule of thumb, don’t loan out anything that you’re totally attached to. Don’t let your roommate borrow your favorite pair of shoes, but also don’t expect anything you do loan out to be returned in perfect condition (it is college after all).

Living with roommates is never going to be easy a hundred percent of the time, but it definitely helps to make compromises. While we all wish we could have the perfect roommate, it’s good to try to be the perfect roommate as well.

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