Bad Roommate? No Problem

Nothing can turn a year upside down like having a bad roommate. It’s stressful enough that you’re being pulled left and right between various activities, but now you have to put on a brave face and suppress your dissatisfaction with the person you live with every single day. Some people are able to turn the other cheek and live with it. For others, they just find any excuse possible to stay out of the room until bedtime. A bad roommate doesn’t have to ruin your year, however, and it’s easier than you think.

It’s difficult to understand how someone could be comfortable violating another person’s personal space. However, just know that it’s their space too and they’re going to treat it as such. In the event that your roommate’s stuff pours onto your side of the room, don’t dramatically maneuver around their things in front of them, or neglect to say anything until they notice. Instead, be direct and ask them politely to keep their things on their side of the room. It’s important to remember that most people do not pick up on social cues. All it takes is a simple explanation that you need barriers. There is a chance they may take offense initially, but if they’re seeking an easy living arrangement, they’ll respect it.

If you decide to choose a friend to live with whom you’ve never lived with before, recognize that there is a chance that just because you’re best friends does not mean you will be the best roommates. The best way for maintaining a solid relationship is seeing each other as both friends and roommates. When bringing up home-related issues, you are in roommate mode. Learning each other’s schedules or creating a schedule for the home to turn into a social pad will also prevent any surprise visits that may inconvenience the other person. Maintaining the level of respect within your established friendship shouldn’t change because you’re in closer quarters.

Finally, if you have a random roommate, you’re not obligated to be their friend, but you should definitely try. Having a random roommate can cause a person to walk into the situation expecting the worst, but random roommates turned friends are blessings in disguise. It’s especially great for late nights when it feels like the world is crashing down, and they’re right next to you through it all. But if you feel that you’re not going to be friends, just make sure the roommate agreement upholds itself. If everyone is keeps their word on chores, tasks and roommate agreements having a random roommate will be the least of your worries.

If you don’t feel a sense of relief when you go home, you’re looking at a long year of unnecessary additional stress. Practice open communication and be adamant about your boundaries, regardless of if your roommate is your friend. Also be sure to understand your roommate’s perspective before nitpicking everything they do. If you’re in USC housing and can’t find common ground with your roommate, talk to your residential advisor and see what your alternatives are. Your living experience may seem like it takes a backseat to everything else in life, but it’s where you’ll spend most of your time and you want to make sure that you feel comfortable in your own place.