Many of you have heard horror stories of people who have had terrible roommates, and could not deal with the issues that came along with them. Having to live with someone you don’t know is a big adjustment you have to get used to in college, and it’s something many struggle with. While having a good roommate is not always guaranteed, being a good roommate can be.
My roommate and I have never had any problems. We have the same sense of humor and we get along very well. I am grateful to have such a great roommate, and our bond is so well because we have a mutual respect for one another. Whenever either of our trash cans gets full, we unspokenly take each other’s cans out. We didn’t even have to say anything about it or make it a rule, we just started alternating taking the trash out for each other. We also ask each other when it is okay to turn the lights off whenever one of us wants to go to sleep or just wants the room to be dimmer. Communication is essential in making your college experience with your roommate work. We openly communicate about anything in the room that may be a problem, and because we are close, we communicate about other problems we may have as well. Our bond started to build based off of our mutual respect for one another. Many people may not have the same experience I had with getting a great roommate, but it’s up to you to make the most out of every situation life throws at you.
Another way to make sure that you and your roommate are on the same page is to make a chore chart. A big problem most people have with their roommate is cleanliness, and a way to avoid that is to have a schedule of who cleans what and when. It is also helpful to let your roommate know in the beginning, things that you are, and are not okay with, like a list of rules and boundaries. With visitation being a new thing on Hampton’s campus for freshman, many people have problems with their roommates bringing unexpected visitors into their room. It is very important to keep your roommate aware if you have any special visitors, male or female, in your room ahead of time. Do not be afraid to speak your mind in a mature manner, and always treat your roommate with the same amount of respect that you would want in return!