(Samantha Langley is a former Chatham County Schools student who has just finished her freshman year at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She will be writing blog entries as the school year ends looking back on her first year of college in order to give the Class of 2012 in Chatham a college perspective She welcomes questions via email at writers600@gmail.com.)
Being made
to live with a completely stranger can be nerve racking to think about. I was
terrified to meet my first roommate and after looking at her Facebook page I
thought we weren’t going to get along. Now we’re best friends. So how do you go
from not knowing a person exists to having a everlasting slumber party with
them? It’s not always clear, but just try to be friendly.
Many
universities allow students to check out their roommate on Facebook before they
chose them and other universities may only give each roommate the other’s phone
number before the school years begins. Either way, contact your roommate.
When you
first talk to your roommate don’t set rules right away. It’s hard to determine
what dorm life is like without being there and this can set a tense atmosphere
from the get go. Instead try to form some sort of a friendship to begin with
and be yourself. You will be sharing A LOT of time around this person it’s
better to let them know right away who you are.
Even if you
don’t strike up an automatic friendship with your roommate right away be
respectful of each other’s space. Don’t touch their stuff without asking and if
you’re not comfortable with things they’re doing let them know. If you do have
a problem with your roommate bring it up in a respectful manner or they may
shut down to your complaint right away. Then be sure to let them know if they
have a problem with anything to let you know.
While it is
likely that you and your roommate will be able to live together there are some
situations that it is not possible. Universities do have methods for handling
roommate problems and if any of the following problems occur continuously let
your Resident Advisor know;
· You feel unsafe in your room for any
reason!
· Your roommate consistently
disrespects your property.
· They are posting personal things
about your life online or spreading it as a rumor around campus (be sure you
are absolutely SURE it is them).
Although
these are not the only reasons that you may choose to switch roommate make sure
there are no other course of action. Just because you switch roommates doesn’t
mean the next situation will be better.
Overall the
majority of people do get along with their roommates. Problems will arise, but
so long as both of you are respectful then a dorm room doesn’t have to be a war
zone.
