College is a major adjustment, but it's the living arrangements that really come as a shock. You go from living in the same household as your family to living in the same bedroom or house as nearly a total stranger. This can be difficult for anyone, but especially people who have never shared a room before, and even more so for an only child who's never had to share anything before. Now, some people are able to adjust, but for others it seems like hell. Regardless of how you adjust to the circumstances, here are 7 things that you learn quickly after having your first college roommate.
1. There’s no such thing as your own food.
The leftover food that you were waiting to come home to? Yeah don’t expect it to be there. The soda you couldn’t wait to have with that meal? Yeah, that’s gone too. Oh but what about that cookie you brought home from the dining hall to use as your reward for finishing your homework? Sorry, Charlie.
Your own closet = everyone’s closet.
You might have separate closets and dressers, but it might as well be one big one. When your roommate has a cute date, don’t be surprised if she’s asking to borrow one of your dresses. Don’t be surprised when your scrolling down Instagram only to see your shirt in your roommates post either. On the bright side, you too now have another whole wardrobe, free of cost!
An open bathroom is a gift, not a given.
The saying “when you gotta go, you gotta go” is no longer a valid possibility. There are going to be times when you’re desperate to use the bathroom and you’re roommates in there for what can seem like hours in “I need to go to the bathroom” time. If your fortunate enough to have a communal bathroom, at least there’s a possibility for one of the few other stalls or showers to be available. But when you have a private bathroom for your room or your suite, you can forget about it.
It might be your place, but not when she has a guy over.
It’s you’re home, so aren’t you allowed to come and go as you please? Legally, yes; realistically no. When you have a roommate, you can expect for her to need her private time, especially if she’s in a relationship, and during that time, you’re ultimately homeless. Some roommates are better than others with expecting and balancing their alone time with their roommates wants, but you can expect to get locked out or asked to leave at least once in your college career.
You may not be able to keep up with your favorite TV show.
If your roommate has to study for an exam and needs quiet, you won't be watching that season premier with sound. Even worse: if your roommate gets to the TV before you and has their show on, good luck convincing them to change the channel. If you don’t have DVR, you better hope there’s another way to watch your show.
You can’t have your friends over as much as you may like
The only thing better than hanging out with friends is being able to hang out with them from the comfort of your home (assuming they don’t make a mess). When you have a roommate, you have to respect their schedule and wants and that means your friends may not be able to come over often. If you want to see them often, be prepared to have to actually get out of your pajamas (maybe) and truck on over to them; at least your roommate and friends will appreciate it.
Enjoy every minute of alone time
As much as it might sound weird, having your place to yourself is the greatest gift in the world. It may not sound so great on paper, but there is no feeling greater than knowing you can be loud, relax or anything in between without worrying about anyone else. It doesn’t come often, so be sure to enjoy every minute of it while you got it.
