Wednesday, July 26, 2017

5 Different Roommates You Might Have in College

Some roommates are awesome, and some are the absolute worst. The team at The Ivy Apartments, a BYU-Idaho approved housing complex, sees students come and go, and often have to deal with apartment issues when roommates aren’t meshing too well. A few common scenarios are listed below.
The Socially Awkward
This roommate comes in many varieties. From inappropriate jokes, to overly loud talking, they can make any situation awkward. Although some know they are doing it, others are completely oblivious. Dealing with the awkward roommate can also be awkward, however it has to be done. For the cases where they are oblivious, simply talking to them will be helpful. Open communication will be uncomfortable, but getting a dialog going will help them see where you are coming from, and could help them improve their social skills and awareness of what their actions are having on social situations.
The Slob
It won’t take long to identify the slob. Dishes all over, clothes strewn across the apartment, and completely unorganized, this roommate can ruin your living space as well as your social life. People who have a slob roommate avoid spending time in the apartment, and almost never invite people over. Dealing with this roommate can be tough because this behavior has been a long road of bad habits. Communication is important, but more often than not, it doesn’t work. Try keeping your own space clean as an example. Set rules all agree on for common areas, and set cleaning assignments that encourage regular clean up. Don’t be afraid to toss messes after they last multiple days. Don’t worry they’ll learn.
The Night Owl/Early Bird
When roommates have different schedules, problems often ensue. From the night owl that stays up ‘til 2 am, to the early bird that’s in bed at 9 pm and up at 6 am, these opposite schedules can really clash. Most of the time, these roommates are more than willing to keep the noise down when they are up while others sleep. In the off case that they are unwilling to be respectful, an apartment “meeting” can be set up to get everyone together to discuss the issue. This helps with the “strength in numbers,” approach.
The Partier
This roommate loves to have lots of people over, loud music, and late nights. Not only is this roommate distracting, but your schooling performance may suffer. On nights you really need to be studying, this roommate may have all the gang over watching movies, playing music, or just causing ruckus. To deal with this roommate, you have a number of options. First, you can study at the school library, park, lobby, or any other quiet place. You can also talk with the roommate and set up days where they are more than welcome to have parties. Communication is key, and if you approach the problem with solutions in mind, they may just follow along.
The Thief
Although mostly minor, this roommate can be caught eating your food, wearing your clothes, or using your personal belongings as their own. It can be ultra-frustrating. If not corrected quickly, this problem can continue to grow. To deal with this situation, a direct, firm and respectable stand must be made. Who knows, if the problem is not solved, they may just run off with your significant other!
Mentioned multiple times, communication is key in solving issues and making change. If you just sit back and silently despise your roommate, problems won’t get solved, and you may just explode; which isn’t good for anyone.








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