For me, the most stressful part about moving off to college was having a roommate. Unlike most of the people from my high school, I didn’t just go to the university in my town, I chose to go to the University of Arkansas which is a good 500 miles away from my home in Central Texas. Because I didn’t know anyone going to Uark I had to get a roommate randomly. Let’s just say it didn’t go so well, but in hindsight, there are a lot of things I wish I did differently. So here are 5 things you can do to make sure you get the best roommate possible
1. Don’t just pick the first person
Ok, this may seem obvious but don’t rush the process. I know you are excited and trying to get your roommate asap but talk for a few weeks before making the jump. I am an easy-going person so I usually don’t have issues with people but when you live with someone for an extended period of time in a single room there is bound to be some tension. Make sure Y'all are on the same page when it comes to these next few things.
2. Go into depth about cleanliness
This was an issue with my first roommate. On the application, she said she was moderately neat which is what I had down for mine as well. As it turns out we were both wrong. If I were to fill out the form again I would choose very neat for mine and my previous roommate should choose very messy. Set rules like no left-over food out in the room and no food in the trashcans, or you could end up with bugs in your room like I did. This is the ultimate reason why I had to leave.
3. Discuss bedtimes and mornings
After I switched roommates’ night times were big problems. My new roommate would go to bed around two in the morning and not respect the fact I needed to sleep. This ended up ruining my sleeping pattern. Instead of being in bed by 11 it was 2, and that is something I attribute to the decline of my mental health towards the end of the semester. For the mornings, both of my roommates weren’t very respectful. If they got up before me it would take maybe five minutes before I woke up. This wasn’t because I am a light sleeper, but because they didn’t respect the fact that I was sleeping. Before moving in, set quiet times so no being on the phone listening to music or banging through the drawers between a set of hours. Sleep is important and without enough not only will your brain not process what you learned that day but your immune system is lowered and can lead to illness.
4. Discuss political affiliation before hand
Political affiliation can give a lot of insight into someone’s personal views. It’s difficult to live with someone who finds your ideals, morals, and views to be stupid and wrong. Plus, if you are a Republican there is no living with a Democrat since President Trump won. Even if you aren't into politics this is still something I recommend doing, because many are and your life views may contradict.
5. Discuss Nudity
This one is super weird but for some reason, both of my roommates thought it was OK and totally normal to walk around naked even if I was in the room. I’m not a prude but I really didn’t want to see any of that and in a room as small as a dorm room you don’t have very many options.
While my experience with my roommates was awful, I know quite a few people who became best friends and cannot wait until they get to room together again this coming fall. I hope some of these tips will help you find the perfect roommate and save you some of the struggles I had to deal with.
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