After the stress of having the perfect bikini body for Spring Break passes, only one task daunts BC students: Housing. Whether it’s figuring out who’s going to be living in your 8-6-or 4-man or who will sublet while you’re abroad, housing is notoriously one of the more stressful issues at BC.
While freshman year is definitely the most stressful, since everyone is determined to get a pick time so that they don’t end up on the dreaded Co-Ro (it’s really not that bad!), each year brings along some stress (hello seniors hoping for the Mods…!). The easiest way to deal with it is by making sure you have a solid direct roommate.
Having a direct roommate who you live well with is extremely important. This is the person that you will be spending the majority of your time with, so if you’re uncomfortable around her, chances are your room will feel less than homey.
While some people advise against living with your best friend and others completely advocate for it, it really doesn’t make a difference so long as you and your direct share the same beliefs about the following. Here are the three most important things to think about when picking your direct roommate.
1. Are you a morning or a night person?
When picking a direct roommate it is incredibly important to keep in mind that this is someone that you will be LIVING with. Living with someone is much different than being friends with someone. If one of your friends prefers to stay up until all hours of the night, while you prefer waking up when she is just getting to bed, this is something that probably doesn’t affect your friendship, but will have a huge impact on your roommate relationship. You don’t have to have the same exact sleeping schedules, but making sure that you are at least somewhat in sync, will make your living situation much more bearable.
2. Do you like to do work in your room or away from it?
You go to college to learn and at this point you probably have a pretty good idea of where it is you are most productive. If you do like to be in your room doing work, either make sure that your direct roommate has similar study habits, or see she where she likes to do work. If she is most productive in the room while listening to music so loud that the RAs think you’re constantly having a dance party, chances are your grades (and your ears) will start to suffer.
3. Are you a neat freak?
Sure, there are days when you don’t have time to make your bed because you’re running late for class, but you have to ask yourself when picking a direct roommate if you care about whether or not her laundry bin is constantly overflowing with dirty clothes or if she leaves dirty dishes around the room. You might think that these things won’t bug you or that you’ll be able to change your friend’s ways (and sure, you might be able to), but is that really a chance you’re willing to take?
Your room is your home for the time you are away from college. You can’t pick who your family members are, but you can pick your direct roommate, so make sure you choose wisely. Disagreements are inevitable, but the chances of your problems getting resolved in a timely and amicable manner increase significantly when you’re living with someone who is similar to you.
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