Published 2013-02-27T08:00:00Z”/>
Marty Salgado
Dear Wildcats,
Conflicts with roommates are inevitable, and ‘tis the season for them.
Whether you are living in close quarters in the dorms or in a large house, the people you live with may be new to you, along with their habits. Getting used to the quirks of the people you live with is a big part of growing up in college.
Living with family is a comfortable situation, but we are thrown into a melting pot of people with different backgrounds when we get to college. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy living with people who have different temperaments and habits.
I’ve had a slew of roommates in the past, and a friend of mine asked me recently for help on how to deal with their own. Here are some common problems, followed by my advice to fix them.
Passive aggressiveness
This is one of the most annoying things a roommate can use. It is a controlling type of speech you should try to stop when it rears its tentative, annoying head.
Instead of standing by and answering rhetorical questions or statements, call them out on it. Tell them to stop being passive aggressive and to be open with household problems. Be cool so you don’t have to dance around who’s going to take out the trash.
Lying
Be honest. There’s nothing better than that. If you drank their soda or nibbled on their cake, just be frank, apologize and cover the cost. If you accidentally break something or say something hurtful, just apologize, make things right and move forward.
Ignoring your existence
I still don’t understand housemates who lock themselves in their rooms and never say hello. I understand that people need their privacy, but it would be nice to enjoy casual conversation when you bump into your housemate in the kitchen.
Bring it up and acknowledge that you don’t want to be ignored or go see a friend who wants nothing more but to see you. You don’t need your awkward roommate to feel better.
These are three large problems that cover many themes and that arise from living with a troubling roommate. Remember to be honest, and never let your roommate make you think you’re not worthy of existing inside their world.
Don’t settle for being treated rudely, and never let roommates get you down with their passive aggressive speech. Yes, that is your dirty pan — and you will get to it when you can.
Until then, be kind to one another, Wildcats!
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<strong>Marty Salgado can be reached at</strong> <a href=”mailto:[email protected]”><em>[email protected]</em></a>
