Having a roommate can be either a really good experience or a terrible one. Luckily, I have had the best experience with my roommates since I began college last year. My freshman year, I was given two roommates along with an oversized dorm room with its own bathroom in Porter. While I was very excited and anticipated starting school, I was pretty worried that I would not get along very well with my two randomly assigned roommates.
Once school started, I quickly found out that both of my roommates were friendly. I was relieved! My roommates are my best friends, and I am super thankful that I met them. But just being a good friend is not enough to live well with other people. You have to really understand them, their pet peeves, their favorite candy bar, their favorite song, and their routines. Communication is key to have a healthy roommate relationship and friendship.
Chemistry between people cannot be forced, though. I watched a Buzzfeed video about what people are really saying when they meet people their freshman year of college. A lot of emphasis was put on faked friendships with their roommates before their true friends were made. Also, a lot of the conversation was passive aggressive and non-confronting. Not talking is a sign that a relationship is going downhill.
http://www.pophangover.com/6643/funny-roommate-notes/
When I actually started talking to my roommates and learning about them, we began establishing a firm foundation for our relationship. Engaging in activities that we both like brought us even closer together. This included dressing up like pirates to get a free box of donuts from Krispy Kreme, going on midnight runs to McDonalds, and having a quick dance party to one of our favorite songs before heading to class in the morning. And yes, two of those three examples included food. Judge me.
Another way to get along with your roommate is to be comfortable with their routine and adjust yours accordingly. Now, allowing them to have 2 hours of bathroom time in the mornings and only having 3 minutes to yourself is not okay. Establishing routines early on can help a lot of unspoken complaints from later on disappear. And even if your roommate is doing something you aren’t necessarily okay with (like sex-iling you), being verbal about it in a nice way is the best way to deal with it. Ignoring the problem will only lead to more frustration about it later. More frustration could lead to resentment toward your roommate. This resentment could lead to a huge argument, and then you’re moving out. Don’t let the domino effect happen to you, okay?
Lastly, get to know your roommate. Her likes, dislikes, favorite movie, favorite song, favorite ice cream. This will come in handy when she’s crying in her bed because her high school boyfriend found some other girl at his university. You need to be able to stop by the store and pick up some Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy ice cream for her. It will give you super brownie points in her eyes, and she might even return the favor when you fail one of your tests and go on about how you’ll be a failure in life.
Simply getting to know your roommate and communicating with her can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. And if you truly don’t live well with your roommate, it is absolutely okay to request a roommate change later on. Do what’s best for you, girl.