Illustration by Corey BrightAaron Stuber - Opinions Columnistabstuber@uab.edu
Roommates — you have to live with them, and you can’t live without them — lest you go bankrupt financing your own place.
With the first slew of exams finishing up, everyone is probably getting a handle on the ins-and-outs of their particular roommate. For the freshmen on campus, learning that the public face of your roommate is different than the one at home probably comes as a shock.
For the older students, you’re probably immune or jaded by the crippling previous years of school and roommate drama. If you are lucky enough, you can find someone to room with who you wouldn’t want to absolutely murder if a Purge scenario broke out; or you could be brave and try the luck of the draw and pray that you find one that doesn’t make you sleep with one eye open.
If you are ever having quarrels with your roommate, the first thing not to do is run to your resident assistant. I’ve heard of this happening before in the dorms, but I wasn’t even sure that adults still tattle-tale for stupid things like: “He left an empty pizza box on the table,” or “His friends made a mess and he hasn’t cleaned it up within the last 20 minutes.” (I would like to add: if you are having serious issues with your roommate, please seek help.)
Yes, you should be responsible and considerate because you are living with other people, but being a snitch over an empty pizza box makes you look petty. Alas, as my freshman year experience would have it, I was placed in Blazer Hall in one of the coveted six person rooms.
While the eighth-floor suite had a large family room, kitchen space and beautiful window looking out of the Green, I am still doubtful this made up for the hassle of having to deal with not three other people, but five. From this living situation, I learned what not to do in a disagreement.
I remember there was an incident in our room where one suitemate had a couple of lady-friends over, and a fellow suitemate became jealous and ended up lashing out about it.
I was completely unaware of what was going on because, at this time, I actually had motivation and was doing my homework, so I simply locked my paper-thin door and prayed that it was sound-proof enough to protect me from whatever was happening in the family room.
The next morning, I happened upon the suitemate who had friends over and another of our roommates spreading peanut butter under the bed of the jealous suitemate.
“Peanut butter,” you ask? Yes.
He had a peanut allergy, so you know where this is going (see my opinion on EpiPen).
Fortunately, the roommate smelled the peanut butter, but it made him sick and he ended up running out of the building.
He later returned unharmed, and I learned that he only has a reaction when he eats it. So, it was that day I learned I had psychopaths for roommates and that I would have to Katniss Everdeen my way to the end of the year.
From my time as a freshman, I could probably write a survival guide on how to determine if your roommate is trying to kill you.
While everyone might not agree on everything, it is important that you respect differences of opinion and remember that the situation isn’t permanent. It is better to have open lines of communication and ensure everyone is atleast aware of what others are going through.
You’ll have more fun as roommates when you can binge-play League of Legends until 5 a.m. and still make your 8 a.m. class, or watch horrible comedy flicks such as “Sharknado” together. You could also get lucky and have a roommate who is low-key alcoholic, and then every weekend turns into a party.
So just remember, college is a time for learning and growing, and working with people is just one of those many facets. Make the best of it because fun late nights are more memorable than fights.
