Everyone, at some point in their lives, is likely to have either a strange, bad or toxic roommate. What makes a bad roommate? Overall, someone that doesn’t respect you, belittles you, invades your space, steals your things and so forth. Having a bad roommate can be extremely uncomfortable because your room is supposed to be your safe space. However, no matter how bad your roommate is, I believe you can get through it. Here are some tips:
- Don’t let their negative energy engulf your positive energy. Chances are, they want to bring you down to lift up their self-esteem.
- Kill them with kindness. As much as they work you up, don’t give in. Remain calm, cool and collected. You will thank yourself later.
- Consider why they act the way they do and be grateful you don’t have those issues that lead them to act that way. We often solely blame individuals and underestimate outside forces that impact their behavior.
- Vent to your friends and family. Having someone to talk to always helps.
- Refuse to be pushed around by them. Speak up. Tell them the way they’re acting is unacceptable and why it needs to be addressed.
- Tell someone with authority in campus housing. If they are bad enough, you can get campus life involved and they could potentially be moved out. If that doesn’t work out, you can always make the decision to move out yourself. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it in the long run to remove yourself from the toxic situation.
There are a lot of people out there in the world that want to tear you down. It’s normal to be afraid to confront people about issues at hand. However, be brave and say what you need to say. Don’t allow yourself to get walked on by people. Sometimes, it’s necessary to stand up for yourself. Always go about it in a respectful manner and if you can, avoid making your roommate an enemy. In the grand scheme of things, your bad roommate will not be the last negative person you encounter in your life. Therefore, take this experience as a life lesson. Learn how to deal with difficult people because you will encounter many more in your life time.
Photo Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/09/two-year-colleges-dorms_n_66475…
http://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2016/02/21/635916934286495937-723368…