Going off to college is supposed to be a fun experience, not make you miserable. With exams, projects, and homework to worry about, you shouldn’t have to put up with an irritating roommate as well. Sadly, most dorms will pair you up with a random student, so you really have no control over who you live with. If you happen to get a crazy one, here’s how you can deal it.
1. Talk to the person
If your roommate is rubbing you the wrong way, express your feelings to him or her. Talking about the problem honestly is usually the best way to solve it. Roommates sometimes don’t even realize that they’re being annoying, so letting them know how you feel could change things for the better.
2. Stay the night with a friend
If you cant stand being in the same room and breathing the same air as your bothersome roommate, spend your time outside of class at a friend’s place. You’ll find it much more enjoyable to be in the company of somebody you adore, even when you’re sleeping. Who knows what the roommate from hell could do to you while you’re catching your Z’s.
3. Keep yourself busy
If you want to keep some distance between yourself and your roommate, consider getting involved in extracurricular activities. Join a club, pick up a sport, or even attend office hours. Find a reason to be anywhere but the dorm so that you won’t have to be around your roommate.
4. Request a roommate swap
It’s possible to switch roommates with another student or get a room of your own if you complain to the dorm admins about the irritating behavior of your current roommate. If the people in charge are able to determine that your reasoning is valid, you could be freed from your prison.
5. Move out as soon as possible
If you can’t get a roommate swap, stick it out until you can move out for good. Avoid staying in the dorms since you could get stuck with a crazy person again. Instead, go with quality housing like UC Berkeley off campus housing. You’ll have a wide selection of apartments and homes to choose from. Off campus housing would give you the option to room with whoever you’d like or no one at all.
6. Emphasize mutual respect
Some people don’t get the concept of mutual respect. Explain to your roommate that two people can’t enjoy living with each other if they don’t respect each others wishes. Even your psycho roommate would be bothered if you never listened to a word he or she said.
7. Do as you please
When it seems like nothing will get through to your insane roommate, forget about respect. Do as you please, even if it annoys your roommate. When the other person won’t compromise, you shouldn’t either. Show the roommate from hell the true meaning of the saying.
Being stuck with a detestable roommate can really ruin your entire college experience. Sometimes you just have to stick it out until you both can part ways. In the meantime, try to communicate with each other so that some kind of agreement can be had while you’re still sharing the same roof.
