Rules of Being a Roommate

By Jacklyn Stringham
Staff Writer

One of the many things students living on campus look forward to every year is meeting the person they will be sharing a room with for the next nine months. Many imagine what their roommate will be like. It is great to be optimistic about living with someone else and to at least attempt to get used to their way of living to avoid confrontations from time to time, but what do you do when living with your roommate becomes a total nightmare?
Every year, numerous students wish to change rooms. The reason for the room change can range from small things, such as constant messiness, to extreme things, such as just pure dislike for the person you have to room with.
When a student registers to live on campus, they get a form that lists different characteristics of people: loud, messy, sociable. The student must then check off the characteristics they wish to have in a roommate. After these forms are filled out the student is matched with someone whose form looked similar to their own. It’s basically like filling out an application on an online dating website. The goal is to put two very similar people in the same room to avoid any conflicts.
This system may work sometimes, but the system also has its flaws. The form that lists what you want in a roommate does not dive deep into other personality and social traits. So besides not being loud or messy, what are the things most students want in a roommate? Here are some roommate “dos and don’ts.”
The most important rule when living with another person is to respect their things. A roommate not being in the room at a certain time is no excuse to touch their things, or decide it is okay to borrow their clothing without permission. This is considered stealing and is something that most individuals will not tolerate. This can cause major problems between both roommates and can even at some point have to involve the Residence Hall Director (RHD).
Another important rule when sharing a room with someone else is to keep your things and visitors on your side of the room. No one wants to come back from a long day of class to find their roommate’s friends sprawled out on their bed. This is both disrespectful and just plain annoying. A roommate should also never leave food out for days at a time. This can cause bugs and disgusting odors. It is never a good thing to be the dirty roommate.
Roommates should also know the things that they should do as well. A good roommate always does their best to respect their roommate, especially on the days before midterms and finals. If they wish to study in the privacy of their dorm room, their roommate should respect that.
Another important thing roommates should always do, not only for themselves, but for the person they are living with as well, is shower. Being hygienic is not only beneficial to you, but it’s also to the people around you. No one wants to know you were at the gym all day because you smell like sweat.
Matthew McMahon, a junior Broadcasting major, said, “The perfect roommate is someone you can leave alone in the room and not have to worry about. It would be terrible to have to worry about someone messing with your stuff or destroying the room whenever you need to leave for class or go home.”
Being a good roommate is not a hard thing to do. Here are some reminders: Always ask before touching, sharing can be a good thing, and respect the people around you. Those who do currently have a bad roommate situation and do not know how to deal with it should contact their RHD. These situations can be easily handled and sorted out before it becomes serious. College is a time for memories, success, and laughs. Knowing the “dos and don’ts” of being a good roommate can help contribute to