Ready to Commit... to Your Roommate?

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.

Stay Sassy,

XOXO Texan

10 Dorm Room Necessities

If you are anything like I was when I graduated high school, then you are beyond excited about heading off to college and picking out new décor and necessities for your dorm room.  I’m probably a special case considering I started watching dorm hauls the summer of my senior year, but after a year of dorming, I have found that those tend to leave out the things that you really need to survive. So here are the 10 items that I truly needed in my dorm room.

1. Fan

Ok, dorm rooms get HOT and stuffy. Whether it's January or early September it seems like they all get gross and sticky. I liked to have a fan clipped on to the top of my desk hutch that I could point at me when I was in bed or when I was studying at my desk. It was a lifesaver.

2. Medicine

Sharing a communal bathroom that doesn’t get cleaned as often as it should, living with a roommate that never throws their food away, bringing in the germs from class, living in close quarters, with all the germs that go around in college, if you don’t get sick in the dorms then you are blessed. Having a decent supply of anti-allergy, Advil, and cold medication is a must. You never know when a bad headache will come along or in my case the flu that leaves you immobilized for a week.

3.Snacks

You will get hungry and will not want to deal with the masses of rowdy students in the dining hall and will need something to tide you over until you get a chance to make it to the hall.

4. Soft Blanket

If you ask my fiancé or my mom you would get the same answer from them both. I am obsessed with blankets. It’s bad. But they are great to have in your dorm. I would put down a blanket and study on that when I didn’t want to sit at my desk. I also would sleep with one and it just makes that hard, uncomfortable bed more tolerable.

5. Mattress Topper

The beds are hard, thin and uncomfortable. I know it’s easy to buy the 15-dollar mattress topper from Target but take it from me I ended up buying four so I could sleep on the mattress without hurting my back (and I like my mattress to be on the firmer side). With how many I bought I could have gotten a more expensive one that worked better for less money.

6.       Two Trash Cans

Well, my 1^st roommate was gross, so bad I switched roommates at the beginning of the spring semester. Going into college I only brought 1 trashcan but by the end of the first week, I had another because my roommate didn’t think it was important to bring her own. I know dumb right. after I ended up moving into my new room I found I loved having two. I kept one under my desk and the other at the end of my bed. It was much easier to make sure trash made it where it needed to be.

7.       Extra storage

Dorm rooms are tiny and the storage is basically nonexistent, so the use of three drawer organizer was a life saver. I ended up lofting my bed and had a large one and 2 tall skinny ones. In the large one, I would keep my snacks and extra school supplies. In the 2 smaller ones, I had my extra toiletries and underwear/socks. These made it easier to get ready in the morning.

8.       Slippers 

Ok dorm floors are gross, and bathrooms are gross. I was constantly wearing my moccasin slippers around. Nothing is worse than your feet feeling nasty.

9.       Lamps

I don’t know about you but if it is dark in my room I can’t function. With multiple lamps, it is easier for me to get what I needed to do each day. They also were a lifesaver because my 2^nd roommate hated to have the normal lights on because she thought they were ugly.

10.   Calendar

On top of my planner, I had a calendar that stayed on my desk to keep track of assignments and when my fiance would be up to visit me. I loved to have a calendar on my desk so I could just check what I had to do that day between classes without taking out my planner.

Do you have any items that you couldn’t survive dorming without?

Stay Sassy!