One of the many, inevitable learning experiences that students encounter in college involve dealing with people who aren’t exactly easy to confront. On one hand, having public decency when faced with challenging people can be tough, but it is manageable. Whereas, encountering and coming into close contact with an individual of negative temperament on a routine basis can create an impossible situation. Speaking of close contact, the people you live with, and see in just about every state of mind, are more than likely going to have the most intimate relationship with you than any outside individuals in your life.

Remember how we used to get so annoyed with our parents during our rebellious teenage years? A similar kind of irritation is bound to occur, at least to a certain extent, with your college roommates. Unfortunately, it seems that no matter how healthy and strong of a relationship we begin with, you are likely to encounter a quarrel or two. It’s all about finding that happy medium. In the past, my roommates and I have found it effective to create a schedule where we alternate between house chores so that it seems like we each contribute a fair share to keeping our shared living area tidy and presentable.

“Show respect even to people who don’t deserve it; not as a reflection of their character, but as a reflection of yours.”

No matter whether you’re dealing with difficult people at home, in the workplace, or at the grocery store, there’s a key list that I like to keep in mind: