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Sure, it's
Halloween season, but you shouldn't be scared
about your future roommate...
Roommate Remedies, Straight Up
Featuring Erin Demlow, Assistant Director of Admissions,
Roosevelt University,
Chicago, IL
October 2000
The CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- It's always
a big question amonst college-bounders: "How
should I deal with a roommate? What if I get an
annoying one?"
The key to dealing with
a roommate is definitely flexibility and tolerance.
A sense of humor never hurts, either. The prospect
of sharing that awfully small space with someone
that you have never met can be a daunting one.
There are some ways, though, that you can turn
this experience into a positive one.
The first thing to remember
is that you are not expected to become best friends
with your new roomie.
Some roommates make the mistake of thinking that
they have to spend all their time together. While
this is convenient for the first couple weeks
of the semester -- knowing you have someone to
have lunch with every day -- the constant togetherness
will start to wear on you both. The best thing
you can do for yourself is get out of your room
and meet other people. Your relationship with
your roomie will be healthier for it.
The second thing to keep
in mind is that you and your roommate are two
very different people. While most universities
try to match you with someone similar to you in
terms of smoking preferences or study habits,
you two may have nothing else in common. The important
thing is that you should be tolerant and accepting
of these differences.
You will probably learn
a lot from your roommate if you are willing to
acknowledge that they are not just like you. If
you do get stuck with that impossible-to-live-with
person, you should know your options.
The first thing you should
do is try to work things out on your own. If you
need to, set up a schedule for when to have friends
over or when you want quiet time in the room.
Compromise as much as possible to make the best
of your situation.
If it ends up that you
have a problem you can't work out on your own,
it may be time to visit the resident assistant
(RA) who lives on your floor. This upperclassman
is there for such problems, so don't be afraid
to ask for help. Your RA should be able to assist
the two of you in coming up with a livable solution.
As a last resort, and only if the problem is extreme,
some universities may be able to move you to a
new room. Try to explore all your other options
first, however. Getting along with your roommate
can make your freshman year a whole lot easier.
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