One of the best and worst parts about college is having a roommate. Maybe you grew up sharing a room with your sibling, but you probably never had to live with a complete stranger for an extended period of time. Chances are your college roommate fits into at least one of these ten categories, or you are one of these roommates.
1. The Silent One
You know she’s in the room, you saw her face when you looked up from your computer and yet, you could hear a pin drop at any given moment because the silence is that heavy. The fact that you can hear your own breathing or her stomach growling from across the room is very unsettling. Your room embodies an awkward silence.
2. The Disappearing Act
Somehow she manages to never be in the room. You’re pretty sure she sleeps in her bed every night but you can’t be certain because you never actually see her going in and out. You question if you even have a roommate at times because you’re experiencing the next best thing to living alone.
3. The Party Animal
Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night you’re prepared to be awoken by your creaking door opening and a stumbling roommate at 3 AM. You’ve already laid out a bucket, two Advil, and a glass of water by her bed because you know what Sunday morning entails. You hope and pray that a boy doesn’t follow her in at that ungodly hour but you’ve definitely had a few run-ins. You don’t judge but you do admire her raw talent at avoiding a lifelong hangover.
4. The Sharer
She takes “mi casa es tu casa” very seriously. You have access to her food, clothes, products, and more. She wants you to share more than just the room and you take full advantage of her openness. One day though, you find your favorite sweater not hanging in your closet but instead, hanging on her shoulders. Oops. Maybe the sharing is just her thing.
5. The Frenemy
Sometimes you braid each other’s hair and jam out to music in your room, and sometimes you argue (loudly) over whose turn it is to sweep the floor. You know she talks about you behind her back but you do the same thing to her. You probably wouldn’t be friends if you weren’t roommates but you’re stuck together so you might as well hang out and get along, sometimes.
6. The Homebody
She never goes out. Ever. She sits in the room all day and all night which makes you wonder if she even ate that day. You always offer for her to go out with you, even just to grab breakfast, but she always dismisses you with an excuse she “has too much homework” or she “just doesn’t want to”. Maybe she’s homesick, maybe she just hates sunlight. Is your roommate a vampire? You’ll never know.
7. The Nudist
Don’t turn around too fast, or you will get a nice view of your roommate’s…everything. This one likes to let it all hang out and there’s nothing you can do about it. It is her room too, after all. Prepare yourself.
8. The Chosen One
You texted a bit before Move-In Day, decided you would make great roommates, and applied to room together. This could go either very well, or very poorly. The point: choose wisely. The best part about going random is that you can blame a terrible roommate on the school, not yourself.
9. The Flat-Out B*tch
She judges, she yells, everything is about her, and every room responsibility is not only yours but also your fault if something goes wrong. She will rant and rave and take up more space in the room than she deserves. She’s the one you should go to your RA about—and don’t ever be afraid to do so.
10. The Best Friend
You two get along so well that you can’t even believe it’s real. You party together, study together, have the same friend group, and tell each other everything. Your roommate pairing was a match made in heaven and you couldn’t be happier.
Whoever your roommate is, there is no problem that can’t be solved. Your RA, friends, RD, and advisors are all there at school for you to talk to and if something really serious happens, you can always get a room change. College is about you and your experience, make sure your roommate doesn’t hinder that!