It can be tricky accommodating to your own needs, even more challenging is trying to meet those needs while sharing space with a whole other person. This week, we asked our team to tell stories and give advice on the subject of roommates.
What is your roommate confession? (It can be a short anecdote, your favorite memory, a funny/wild story etc.)
“My roommate talks in her sleep. Usually it’s nothing weird, but sometimes she yells at me. By name.”
-Bailey, Recruitment Chair & Writer.
“One of my favorite memories while living with my roommates is when our dishwasher exploded! We were just sitting at the table eating dinner and all of a sudden we look down at our feet and we see dish soap coming toward us. It was a huge puddle. We thought it was so funny because we didn’t even notice it happening till it was right in our face.”
-Alexis, Sorority Liaison.
“I’m a pretty clumsy person, generally, and while most of the people in my life are cool with my everyday fumbles, sometimes I have to make it up to them. For instance, I once made my roommate tea and left this note: “Good morning! So sorry for waking you up at 6 AM. And that my book fell on your face.” This particular instance was during finals week of the 2015 fall semester while my wonderful roommate and I were freshmen. We lived in a small room on the 12th (and top) floor of Slusher Tower and shared a bunk bed. I was on the top bunk and one morning I asked my roomie where if she knew where my book was, only to have her grumblingly tell me that it had fallen and hit her in the face in the middle of the night. The waking up at 6 AM was during my failed attempt to quietly get ready for a 7 AM exam. My phone had fallen down under the bed and I had to wake her up to retrieve it. Luckily, I have an understanding roommate. She must have forgiven me because the next month we signed a lease to live together again.”
-Maury, Writer and Editor
“My freshman year I had a random roommate and during our first conversation she said she was a hippie. I thought that meant she was going to be chill and easy going. I definitely wasn’t thinking about the negative stereotypes associated with hippies. But I swear in our months of living together, I never once saw her shower and our room constantly smelled of B.O. And it wasn’t from me.”
-Anonymous writer for Her Campus VT.
“My freshman year at VT I came to school early for Summer Academy. There I met one of my best friends. During the fall semester she lived in Cochrane Hall and I lived in Harper Hall. She didn’t like her roommate all that much so for the rest of the fall semester she slept on a blow up mattress under my bed.”
-Rhana, Writer.
“Over the summer, my roommates had their guy friends crash at our place over July 4TH weekend. It is still unconfirmed, but I believe there were a total of eight Frat guys on our floor. It was a mess, but I had low expectations, so it could have been a lot worse.”
-Kaley, President and Editor-in-chief.
What is your advice for new Hokies or anyone searching for a new roommate?
“Be honest. If you have strong feelings about drinking, partying, cleanliness, bedtimes, having guests over, sharing, etc., tell them. Don’t worry about what they’ll think. If the person you’re considering doesn’t like one of your requests, they aren’t the right roommate for you anyway.”
-Bailey
“Have an open mind, don’t judge someone by looks. [Find] someone with similar interests.”
-Alexis
“BE HONEST! When writing a Facebook post or talking to potential roommates, don’t hold anything back. You want to be comfortable with this person, and the best way to do that is to just be yourself. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BACK OUT. No matter what stage of the rooming process you’re in, don’t hesitate to politely withdraw if you feel like it isn’t a good match.”
-Maury
“Set ground rules before you live together!”
-Anonymous
“If I were trying to find a new roommate, not only make sure you have things in common, but also ask them about their preferences. If you’re a night owl and they like to get up at sunrise then you’ll probably not be a good match!”
-Rhana
“Make sure you have similar preferences on cleanliness, or else someone will be unhappy.”
-Kaley
How do you make living with a roommate(s) work?
“Again, be honest. If something is making you uncomfortable or interfering with your daily life, talk to your roommate about it. Be polite, though. You do have to live with them, so don’t burn bridges. And be considerate in all that you do. You’re both paying for the room after all.”
-Bailey
“We all pitch in with cleaning and give each other personal space when needed.”
-Alexis
“Talk to them :) If something is off, talk about it. There’s a lot of power in a simple apology, even if it’s over something silly. My roommate still has that apology note about falling books hanging on her wall.”
-Maury
“You have to compromise but you also can’t be afraid to confront your roommate if you have an issue.”
-Anonymous
“My biggest piece of advice for living with a new person would be to always give them the same respect that you would want to be given. Know your boundaries and always ask them if it’s okay to bring people by or if you want to borrow their things.”
-Rhana
“Allow yourself a period of adjustment with any new living situation. Compromise is necessary for keeping the peace, and do not withhold your frustrations. In my experiences, passive-aggressive tactics are exhausting and complicated. So, say what’s on your mind.”
-Kaley
“Don’t worry if you and your roommate aren’t best friends. The important thing is that you get along and respect each other. After all, drama still happens in college, so if you room with your best friend…that could get awkward really quick.”
-Lissandra, Pinterest Exec.
“Be friends with them- but don’t become close friends with them.”
-Anonymous submission.
We are looking forward to hearing more from our readers. So, expect more opportunities to submit your responses in the future! In the meantime, we hope you enjoyed our roommate confessions; jot down a few suggestions if you’re experiencing some tension in your dorm or apartment.