Rebounding from bad roommates, bonding with good roommates
By Lauren Henderson
There is the neat freak, the slob, the gamer, the partier, or even the know it all. Whichever type of roommate you land with, even though they may or may not be compatible with your living habits, don’t stress. College is one big learning experience, even outside of the classroom. Just relax and learn how to coexist.
“I was excited about having a roommate, I love meeting new people,” said Daijah Brown, a freshman women’s basketball player here at Pensacola State College. Brown was lucky enough to get a great roommate who she is very compatible with. “We have no rules, no boundaries, we share everything. One time we caught the stove on fire trying to cook breakfast together, it was so funny.”
Despite Brown’s ideal college roommate situation, she suggests that everyone who is considering getting a roommate should go into it with an open mind. “Just get to know your roommate and help each other out.”
“I would definitely categorize my roommate as ‘The Gamer,’” said PSC freshmen basketball player Harrison Curry.
Curry had a roommate prior to coming to Pensacola State College, and he enjoys having a roommate. “You just have to establish rules right of the bat, and keeping everything equal is the best method when it comes to shopping and cleaning,” said Curry. “It can be tough sharing a bedroom at times. When he’s asleep in the room, and I have company over and need the room, we just compromise, meaning my guest and I sneak in and try not to wake my roommate.”
Overall, Curry stressed that dividing all household duties equally and going out together to have fun is how you create a healthy relationship among roommates.
Having a roommate isn’t so scary if you’re as lucky as Brown and Curry, but if you’re not so lucky then it’s a completely different story.
Pensacola State College baseball player, Onassis Matos, and his roommate are not exactly a match made in heaven. “He comes in, he says hi, and then he goes to his room. I’m not over exaggerating; we don’t talk,” said Matos. “Sometimes I just catch him staring at the pantry. It’s just weird.”
Whether you and your roommate become lifelong friends or flat-out enemies, having a roommate is one of the many life lessons that attending college can teach you. Just keep some simple tips in the back of your head:
1) Keep an open mind and try to get to know your roommate.
2) Establish rules with your roommate from the beginning.
3) Share the housework equally or do it together.
4) Be able to communicate with your roommate when you have a problem with something.
5) Respect his or her belongings.
6) Be mindful of what and how many guests you have over.
7) Don’t worry too much. The worst that could happen is that you’re roomed with someone
you’re not compatible with.
8) Make an effort to build a relationship with your roommate by setting time aside to do
things together such as watch a movie, cook, or shop.