Ashley Austin Page editorLiving in close quarters with a complete stranger may seem like most college students’ worst nightmare, but finding yourself in exactly this situation is the reality for most students during their first years of college.
Having a roommate has many pros and cons. On the upside, you have someone there to wake you up if you oversleep, remind you to do your math homework and help you talk through those tough college issues.
However, there can also be other tough issues that you can’t talk to your roommate about, mainly because they are the issues you have with that person. When you have a problem with something that your roommate is doing, or the way he or she is acting, it is often best to confront them.
If you don’t discuss an issue, the frustration you have can build up until one day you canít stand it any longer. When you finally boil over, a knock-down, drag-out fight will only make things worse. It may seem hard to do, but in the end, talking through issues you have with each other may end up being your saving grace. After all, you have to live with each other for an entire year.
Have you ever had to step over a mountain of dirty clothes piled up on the floor just to walk through the door of your dorm room? I know I have. The clothes, however, were my own.
As young adults, we are often very selfish with our space and can sometimes forget that in a dorm room we have to share a small space with another person. Being courteous to your roommate can be as simple as making sure your things have places and stay in them.
We are not all neat and tidy people, but for a year or two we should be able to step up and make a small living space livable by making sure the floor is at least partially visible at all times. Sharing responsibilities can often make life a whole lot easier when trying to live with another person.
Cleaning a room where two college students live can often be a disgusting task. If you split up the cleaning tasks fairly between you and your roommate, the cleaning can seem like less of a burden. Make keeping your room clean a goal you accomplish together.
Set aside an hour or two that you both have free, crank up your favorite music and get down to business. It will make you both feel better about living in such a small space if that space is nice and clean.
Looking back on their first years of college, most adults recall these years to be some of the best of their lives. This is normally because they created bonds during that time that last a lifetime.
Make the most of living with a roommate. Take the time to get to know the other person, share responsibilities and donít be selfish.
You may just find that you make a life-long friend in the process.
Ashley Austin is a sophomore communication major from Pasadena. She is writing a weekly column providing advice on how to have a successful college career.