The monster roommate. Most of us have had them. And if you haven’t had the chance to experience this particular breed of college nightmare, I am sure that you have at least had to listen to one of your friends complain about it.
I’ve never had to deal with this experience. My first couple of roommates were some of the nicest people I’ve ever had the good fortune to know … and then they graduated. So this year, I thought, “Why not move into an apartment? No meal plan, my own room and a chance for my best friend and me to live together without being in each other’s faces 24/7.”
Foolproof plan, right? Yeah, not so much. I conveniently forgot all about the other two people with whom we would have to co-habitate. Let me tell you, it has not been the easiest of experiences.
So, what to do when you don’t get along with one or more of the people you are living with? No, seriously, what do you do, because I am drawing a blank and just short of pulling my hair out. Well, I started investigating some tactics for handling the situation and here is what I’ve come up with so far.
First, don’t just stew. You have a right to feel how you feel even if it doesn’t make sense to the other people. If something isn’t working, speak up. Speaking up doesn’t necessarily mean screaming at them, although I understand the urge. Instead, try setting a meeting time for the whole group to have a candid chat about what isn’t working for you. Chances are, they haven’t even realized that something is wrong.
If this doesn’t work, visual reminders may be the key. That’s right people: notes. I know it sounds passive-aggressive but hey, do what you have to do to get the point across. “But Shelby, what if that doesn’t work either,” you ask? Well then do what I always do: rinse and repeat. Have another meeting. By this time your problematic roommate(s) should be getting annoyed but really, don’t they kind of deserve it?
When all else fails, get the resident assistant involved. I know it sounds like a hassle, but it’s a better idea than playing nasty pranks. Talk to your RA and let him handle the job of mediating a discussion. Do this as often as necessary. You should not have to deal with someone being totally unreasonable.
So, there’s my rant. Don’t take any nonsense. You deserve to have the best college experience possible and no one has the right to make your living situation unbearable. Good luck, Godspeed and may your roommates be awesome.