Roommates: A Guide to getting along with a Roommate

Getting Along with Your College Roommate: What NOT to Do

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I slept until noon often, and stayed up until 2 or 3am. All my classes were in the evening and I was a total night owl. I also enjoyed the occasional drink in the dorms. Also, I totally agree about both the rituals and the other friends things. Something else to keep in mind is that for most people, the people they are friends with for the first 3 months of college are not who they stay super close with. Lindsay August 7, , 1: This is an extremely good list. Probably one of your best, Wendy!

She found my journal, read it, and then wrote about its contents on her Myspace blog where everyone else in the program could read it too. I recommend a small lock box for things that you absolutely do not want anyone else to get a hold of: MsMisery August 7, , 1: Wendy August 7, , 1: Keep journals and other sacred stuff locked up! I would say to keep valuables in general locked up. Or at least keep a good track on them. Even if your roommate is trustworthy, she may have friends who are not.

Luckily, he had the box and the serial code and was able to get it back, but not without a lot of hassle.

Oh, and I just got home from taking my very last exam in undergrad! That is, assuming I passed it. My freshman year they overbooked the dorms and I got stuck with a triple in a room that was meant to be a double. Yes, 3 people in a room that was, at max square feet. I have no idea how we did it, but we made it work, and when a room opened up so one of us could move out, we opted to stay in the triple because we liked it so much. I think the key to having a successful roommate relationship is respect.

Think of how your actions will affect your roommate, and you should be ok! Wow, 13 years for me too! I had my high school boyfriend all through college, so sometimes I feel like I missed out of a certain angle of really enjoying college life. But, every choice involves giving something else up, I suppose. My college was WAY overbooked as well, and I was also with two other girls in a room meant for two people total. The nice thing about our dorms was that each dormroom had their own private bathroom, so no shower shoes required.

But, it was pretty fantastic at the time. Daisy August 8, , 3: Hahaha wow — flood of memories here! I spent a ridiculous amount of time updating my AIM profile and writing the perfect away messages. MaterialsGirl August 7, , 4: Something I would recommend for move-in day is, if you arrive first, to wait for your roommate to arrive so you can negotiate furniture and space before settling in.

My first roommate arrived before I did and picked the best bed, desk, closet, furniture and what not. When I showed up with my parents her bed was already made, decorations up and clothes hung. Fabelle August 7, , 2: Oh man, 7— my roommate walked in on me having sex the second night after we moved in. So I got lucky! The one issue we did have was messiness, though— BOTH of us were so messy that we never had any incentive to clean.

SpaceySteph August 7, , 2: Excellent point on cleaning. Pretty gross to think we ate out of that kitchen. That said, great advice Wendy. I lived in a suite my freshman year, which was great because we had two private bathrooms, but I also had 8 suitemates. So, that definitely complicated the transition even more, given that it was so many personalities and preferences clashing at once. Okay, so how are we going to compromise? You do have to go at it the right way, however.

Laying down rules the minute they walk in the door? Eating some of that Chinese take-out you kept mentioning and that I now crave while getting to know what is and is not a deal-breaker for your roommate? Also, the biggest thing I think incoming freshman need to know about living with a roommate is to have a sense of humor about things.

My roommate, who moved back in with her mom after the first semester to save money, gave me one of my favorite stories to tell the first night we roomed together. But that ridiculous drunk girl from the first night never emerged again because she learned her lesson. Emma August 7, , 3: Went there my freshman year, too live in Springfield most my life. It was MSU by then, though.

1. Be extremely messy

Now in Philly, at Temple, though. Sue Jones August 7, , 3: My freshman roommate fell madly in love with a guy in our dorm on the same floor. They were both nerdish and also had never been in a relationship before. They were all google eyes with each other and constantly together and making out in our shared room so it was very awkward! I wonder if they are together still? One of those gross googly couples… ugh! GatorGirl August 7, , 3: When they have to go to their part time job and have no other way to get there.

Also I second the no sexy time when the roommate is in. And leave like an hour window or at least air out the room after. And do not cut your toenails or use a pumice stone straight onto the carpet and leave it there!!!! Oh- make clear rules on the tv. I can not sleep with the TV on and my frosh roommate always forgot to turn it off. Drove me flipping nuts. And be honest on the roommate match form.

If you rise early say it. I have had a pretty good feeling for YEARS that my frosh roommate lied like crazy on hers because we were the worst match in the history of time. Kristen August 7, , 4: Mine left scallops in the refrigerator we had pretended was a freezer over winter break. My freshman roommate first semester only would come back to our room and REEK of sex. Kristen August 7, , 8: Kristen August 7, , 9: What would that smell like??

Rachel August 7, , 9: If I had to describe it, a mixture of sweat and body fluids with an overpowering musky scent. Kristen August 7, , For all the insanity my roommate brought, at least she never had sex while I was in the room or made it obvious they had just finished. She did, however, have sex on my futon while I was gone for the weekend, which really freaked me out. Rachel August 7, , I always wondered what that was about.

10 Tips for Getting Along with Your College Roommate

MaterialsGirl August 8, , 9: Oh you know it. It is some musky combo of sweat and vagina and all sorts of other body fluids. Imagine you just get back from a hot sweaty run… it smells like your shorts. Kristina August 7, , 3: One time, I lived with 2 other girls in a dorm—one was my best friend for years, and the other was a girl I met through a college group on Facebook.

Well, that best friend became a nightmare, where she made a death threat towards the other roommate and I.

But seriously, putting 3 people together is a nightmare. The roommate was so socially awkward and practically asexual and he never said anything until one day he asked me to never come back, haha. I totally lucked out with my roommate. She was and still is one of the nicest people I have ever encountered. She was a year older than me and had lived in the dorms already, so she showed me the ropes and walked me around campus to help me find my classes. The key to our great relationship was that we were both always considerate of each others schedules and willing to compromise.

I would happily oblige by putting on my headphones or taking visiting friends to the common areas if she needed some down time. We also never had to deal with the awkward sexual encounters issue, neither of us had a boyfriend that year. I would also second whoever said not to live with friends. I moved in with 3 girls that I was friends with my senior year of college and it took a heavy toll.

Addie Pray August 7, , 3: Like my roommate did. I still remember the next day warming up my straightener and wondering where the all-of-a-sudden banana smell was coming from… Bitch. Actually, despite the banana incident, we were good roommates. Addie Pray August 7, , 5: Actually, upon further though, I remember now what happened: Facebook makes is so easy.

How to Get Along with Your Roommate (Random or Otherwise)

No email… it was before facebook… so I had to call her. Also we hated each other due to mutual violation of s 2, 8, and 9. The next year I lived with my best friend since kindergarten we thought it best not to live together freshman year, which I still think is a good choice but my freshman year roommate and I had the same major so we ended up in classes together.

How NOT to Pick a Roommate

As engineers, there were only like 4 girls in our class and we had no choice but to bond. Lynn August 7, , 4: I went potluck in college, and my roommate and I connected via Facebook the summer before we moved into our dorm. The girl ended up becoming my best friend, and we lived together our sophomore, junior and senior years of college. We also lived with a couple other girls our later college years, but everything was great then too. The girl I live with now is also someone who lived with my best friend and I during our last two years. But when you go into college, I recommend not living with someone you know already.

See how that person treats their home, their stuff, etc. Lilybell August 7, , 4: There were no rules against it and my RA told her to keep out of my business. She got a lot better over the years. She ended up marrying a European Count! My first semester was tough even though I had met my roommate back at scholarship weekend and had talked with her all summer. She wanted to party a lot as did I, but then reality hit me , and I had 5: Not that I was a joy to live with either. I was pretty messy until I lived with my second semester roommate. You will probably expect the same courtesy from him or her as well.

Just be mindful of the fact that someone else is sharing this small space with you. Follow these tips, and you might be on your way to matching Halloween costumes or late-night slumber parties with your college roommate. Saima is a Desi Muslim high school student and amateur enchilada taste-tester. She's a lover of dark chocolate, late-night comedy, and alternative rock. She's also really interested in science and international relations. Getting Along with Your College Roommate: Be extremely messy No one likes a slob. Be offensive, rude, or inconsiderate in any way Your roommate is a person too.

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2. Be loud, especially at night

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