8 The Stardom Magazine | Debut Issue
and encourage your roommate to voice their concerns if they have any. Also, try to find some comt can be extremely difficult learning to live with mon ground, so that you can act more like friends
a roommate, especially as a freshman who
and less like enemies.
doesn’t know anyone. As Sean Heffron details
in “The Skinny on Your First Year in College,”
If the situation becomes worse, or if your room49.7 percent of college freshman reported that
mate ignores or attacks you, don’t be afraid to get
they had difficulty getting along with a first semes- a mediator involved. Usually, the best individuals to
ter roommate. So, even though college administra- bring in as mediators are R.A.s and hall directors.
tors do their best to match up roommates based on They can offer and unbiased, insider-look at the
majors and other factors, it is extremely common
situation that others may not be able to provide.
to feel that you and your roommate do not click at
first. Although, for the most part, this feeling dissi- If all else fails, and the situation becomes unbearpates after some time, some students have issues able, then have the guts to move out. Although you
would naturally assume that the party at fault
with roommates that go beyond having different
should be the one to move, that is usually not the
backgrounds.
case. Complaints can take weeks to be processed
If you find yourself having problems with your
and investigated by administration and the living
roommate, you should always talk things out with conditions may only get worse in the meantime.
them first. Stay calm and voice your concerns about Rather than relying on others, take it upon yourself
the problems you’re having. Be sure to do this
to change and improve your living conditions by
without attacking your roommate. Instead, address finding a better environment in which to live. There
the behavior in a general way. When voicing your
other students out there who will make great
concerns, be sure to offer to make changes yourself roommates. All you have to do is find them
I