The Ultimate Constitution For College Roommates | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

The Constitution For College Roommates That Doesn't Exist But Should

Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of a 3.5 GPA.

806
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Roommates_%283218131407%29.jpg
Wikimedia Commons

We the college students need to be somewhat civilized with the person (or people) sharing a small space with us. Many of us didn't grow up sharing a room with somebody, so it can be difficult to compromise, share, and occupy the same area. However, through living with others, there are many unspoken rules that arise as a result of having college roommates that should all be compiled into a constitution. After all, this is how we prevent sitting in RA court:

Amendment 1: No roommate should make any rule prohibiting the other(s) to practice their own religion, culture, or own study habits as long as they don't interfere with the other roommate's ability to feel safe and comfortable in the space.

And all roommates have the right to complain if they feel that these practices are interfering with their own comfort in the room.

​​​Amendment 2: In a well-regulated room, all roommates shall have the right to bear their possessions in any way they choose, in any organizational style (or lack thereof) they wish, should their possessions not encroach on the possessions of the other roommate.

All roommates have the right to be messy, but keep your mess on your side of the room and I'll keep my mess on my side of the room. Plain and simple.

Amendment 3: No roommate shall quarter any overnight guests to stay in the room without consent of the other roommates.

Yes, all roommates want to know if you will be sharing a bed with Collin from Tinder on a Sunday night.

​Amendment 4: ​Every roommate has protection against the other roommates unreasonably searching through their possessions. If any roommate wants to seize something from another roommate, they must ask.

Let's face it: we don't want anyone rummaging through our snacks, clothing, or medications without AT LEAST asking first.

Amendment 5: Every roommate has the right to an equal distribution of the space in the room. All roommates have the right to "plead the fifth" to not have to sacrifice their division of space in the room against their own will to satisfy another roommate.

All rooms have invisible boundaries and everybody knows exactly where those boundaries lie. We have to respect them and not cross them or give them up.

Amendment 6: If any roommate makes an accusation against another roommate, the accused roommate has the right to a fair and speedy mediation with an impartial RA on the floor and all of the roommates involved in the conflict.

But we never want to get to this point, so let's just focus on not breaking the unspoken rules of a roommate constitution.

Amendment 7: In roommate relations, if controversy exceeds what could actually be solved, the right of the roommates is preserved to move out.

Of course, if you can't handle a certain living situation, heck, move out! None of us deserve to live with somebody who is spoiling our college experience.

Amendment 8: No roommate shall have cruel or unusual practices that harm the life, liberty, and success of the other roommate(s).

Yes, waking other roommates up early in the morning after they were studying for an exam until 3 A.M. is cruel. Making a dirty and toxic mess out of the room is cruel. Abusing drugs in the room is cruel. Performing X-rated acts in the bed to distract the other roommates is both cruel and unusual. You get the point.

Amendment 9: Every roommate has the right to basic respect and common courtesy from the other roommate. Forms of respect not explicitly stated still apply and such concepts of "respect" vary from room to room.

In other words, there are rules that we don't even need to say because they're just rules for interacting with other people, not only a college roommate.

Amendment 10: The certain rights that vary from room to room are reserved for the roommates to determine. Such rights include bedtime, leaving the lights on or off, noise level, privacy, and general use of the room.

These rules are the toughest because sometimes we all struggle to compromise to struggle both or all of the people living in the room. But the best roommate situations (even if the roommates aren't the best of friends) involve everyone establishing these rules early on. And then all roommates have the best chance at life, liberty, and the pursuit of a 3.5 GPA in college.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

4234
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

450530
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22250
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

45155
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments