By Leslie Pritchett
Contributing Writer

             It’s move-in day at Piedmont College, and the anticipation about living with a stranger slowly rises for those who have never met his or her roommate. A student gets the email about who their roommate is going to be, and he or she automatically start thinking about the new roommate: Will they have things in common or be complete opposites? Nobody wants to live with someone he or she doesn’t know know, especially in a small room, but that’s just part of the college experience.

            Growing up, I always had a room to myself, and when I go home, my bed is sitting there waiting for me. When I moved into GB, I accepted the fact that living there was my only choice, and I dealt with it. The good thing was that I knew my roommate, but I could see the fear in people’s eyes that didn’t know his or hers. Thankfully, my rooming situation turned out great, but there are always glitches when living with another person.

            My loss in privacy was a huge deal for me. At home, I could go in my room, shut the door and do whatever I needed to do. That isn’t a possibility when a roommate’s privacy is colliding with yours. Luckily, at Piedmont, most upperclassmen are able to have their own rooms, so their privacy is back to normal. Freshmen, however, do not have this advantage. In GB or Purcell, when trying not to invade someone’s privacy, the only solution is to go outside to talk on the phone or find somewhere else to hang out while he or she has visitors over. Unfortunately though, a thing like having a suitemate walk in the bathroom while another is showering is inevitable.   

            A major issue that I didn’t have to deal with but that many other people do is having a messy roommate. Even if a person isn’t naturally organized, they should put forth the effort to be clean for the sake of the other roommate. No one wants to step on the dirty underwear that his or her roommate left on the floor the night before.

             Sharing a refrigerator and microwave can also add to the issues that arise between roommates. It’s easier for roommates to split the cost of food in order to save money, which is what my roommate and I did. It’s a great idea, but it’s not always possible between roommates that don’t get along. My advice is to keep everything separate.

             Roommates may also live very different lifestyles. One might like to go out and party, and the other may be a person that cares more about their studies. In that case, one stays up half the night worrying about his or her roommate, who is potentially in a dangerous situation. For those in this situation, sit back and relax, because the worrying is his or her mother’s job.

            Roommates can be among the most important relationships in one’s college experience, but there are some people that just aren’t meant to live together. But, don’t worry, this year shall pass, and everything will end up just fine. There’s always next year to pick a different roommate.