It’s that time of the year again. In the middle of midterms and papers, it is time for us students to choose who we want to live with. Most of us will have to have that conversation with the people we live with about the future. Here are some tips to help you get through the conversation.
This conversation is going to be awkward. There’s no getting around it. Knowing this fact will help you get through it. Just rip that BandAid off and it will be immediately better.
Have the conversation face to face. No texting. Moving out of your apartment is like a breakup, would you want to be broken up with through a text message? No. Talking in person allows the both of you to get a feel for each other’s reaction. You can also explain your reasoning in more detail. Making an effort to have that one on one conversation will show that you still care about your roommate as a person.
Try to schedule a time to talk to your roommate as soon as possible. This gives her time to find new roommates. She’ll be more forgiving and less stressed if she has time to figure things out.
Be honest, but not hurtful. The goal of telling your roommate that you’re moving out is to maintain a relationship. You shouldn’t insult her. Be honest with the reason you are moving out, but phrase it in a way that wouldn’t hurt her feelings. When you give her a reason, make sure it’s something that she cannot change easily, like her schedule or major. Give her something to tell other girls who will ask, “Why are you not rooming with your old roommate?” that won’t make her seem like a bad roommate.
No matter how you decide to tell your roommate that you’re moving on, remember that you are doing this for you. You are making this decision for your best living situation.