Dear Shady Roomies…

Lets just say that in my five years living with other people, bad roommates must be my curse. Now this letter is not to any particular person but to those who caused problems. But I do not write this letter to ostracize any of you but to thank you… thank you for showing me that my morals should not change because of certain people.

I have dealt with those that lie, those that judge, those that never listen, and those that bring people down to them lift themselves up. After dealing with those listed, I’ve found that I have not only figured out what I what from a roommate but what I can give to them as well. And this is normal after dealing with someone that causes problems; you find what works and what doesn’t. But confronting those who make your life a living hell is hard, so you tend to just deal with it because it is just two semesters. What could go wrong?

Actually a lot can go wrong. Instead of dealing with the problem head on, I sat down and let the things happen because I didn’t want to make a big deal over spilled milk. There were times I should have stood up for myself and voiced my problem to the roommate and handle it like an adult instead of hiding behind my computer screen. If there was a problem, I would put my headphones in and do whatever on my computer… if I don’t hear or the see problem, it didn’t happen. I now know that I should voice my problem from the beginning instead of letting it grow into something that shouldn’t be there. After dealing with situations that I don’t want to have to deal with, I know what situations I want.

Nonetheless, after five years of questionable roommates, I now know what kind of roommate I want in my life. I want someone to understand and respect my personal space. I also want someone not to take advantage of my hospitality because I tend to just push things off to the side. We don’t have to the best of friends but I want someone who I can talk to in the room and be able to hang out with in the comfort of our small living space. Overall respect is a great thing that anyone can give and receive but in a rooming situation, it is a way of life. I can give my roommates the respect they give me. Also I can understand that I tend to be a little more conservative in my boarding life and if my roommates want to party, then I have to understand that and let them party.

Overall, the bad roommates were bad… I mean really bad. But not everything about the roommates were terrible. Constantly hiding behind my computer lead to finishing Netflix shows faster than the average college student, learning how to deal with 6 different types of students and base my study/sleeping schedule on other people were some of the good things I’ve learned over the past five years. So to my roommates… I thank you. I thank you for showing me how to “attempt” to voice my complaints, how to just live my life, and how to turn a negative situation into a situation I can handle.

Love The One that Hid Away.