Adjusting to a new roommate, whether on or off campus, can be a trying experience. You may get lucky and find a dear friend for life--one who shares your good tastes, great sense of humor, and sensible work habits. What's more likely is that you'll find somebody you can get along with--at least most of the time--if you both work at it.
And though the start of fall term is still a few weeks away, the time to begin working on that roommate relationship is now.
You've probably already received your new roommate's name, phone number, and email address. Maybe you've been to Facebook and MySpace to pick up some clues about the character who'll be sharing your cozy living quarters for the next nine months. And what you found there may have proved interesting (animal-rescue volunteer), amusing (favorite singer--Celine Dion?), or downright terrifying (Celine Dion!).
In any case, don't take the online version of your new roommate too seriously. Instead, grab your phone and call the real-life version--a person who's probably just as apprehensive about starting college and meeting a new roommate as you are.
In Making First Contact with Your Roommate, the About.com Guide to College Life, Kelci Lynn, offers some sound advice on getting the most out of that first conversation:As long as you're honest and respectful with each other, things should be fine. So snoop on the internet as much as you like, spend a little time figuring out what your living style is, take a deep breath, relax, and have fun on your first phone call with your new roomie!Remember that you're meeting a roommate, not a soulmate, and with a little effort even people with widely different tastes and habits can get along just fine. So make that call. If nothing else, the two of you can decide who brings the mini-fridge and who brings the TV.
Image: © 2008 Kelci Lynn licensed to About.com, Inc.
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