Hey there, collegiettes! Beginning a new school year is nerve-racking enough, and we know adding a mysterious roommate doesn’t make those butterflies go away either. No worries; Her Campus WPUNJ has mashed up a survival guide just for you! Don’t rush to take out a pen and paper — with the help of Mean Girls and friends, you’ll be sure to remember these awesome tips.
When you first walk in, you may have one of two reactions:
1. Remember that phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover?“ Well, whoever said it is absolutely right. Get to know your roomate! Chances are, she’s just as nervous as you are. Take the first night to explore the campus together and learn each other’s personality.
2. If you’re not a morning person, ask if she is. Get to know her habits ahead of time; it will help avoid future conflict.
If she’s like this:
And you’re like this:
You’ll probably react like this:
3. If your roommate doesn’t do her share with cleaning, don’t hesitate to confront her about it. But know that there’s a right and wrong way with confrontation. If you want to avoid confrontation entirely, propose a cleaning schedule or a chore chart before anybody has the chance to slip on their obligations. Creating a chart together allows each person to choose their responsibilities instead of reprimanding each other about it later.
You want to avoid feeling like this:
4. If your roommate is clinging on to you, it can get really overwhelming. Remember that your college experience is your experience — you still need to figure yourself out, and that is done best indepedently. Pull your roomie aside and encourage her to get involved in school. (Remind her to check out the Club Fair — it’s a great way to make new friends!) You can both try different things and share your stories. You’ll still be friends, just not the only friends you’ve got.
You really don’t want to end up like this:
Nonetheless, collegiettes, approaching a new year and a new roommate with an open mind will help you cope with any version of the bad roommate blues. Remember to keep your heads up, be poised, classy, and most importantly, mature. Remember: You don’t have control over who you meet in the world, but what you do have control over is how you choose to react to them.
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