|
|
|
10 Pointers on College Loan Consolidation
Should I consolidate my college loans or not? 1. Still in school, yes! Rates are low, but they're scheduled to go up. Your college loan payments will then remain as manageable as possible when you leave school. If you have graduated, or will be...
A College Roommate Story Too Insane To Makeup
My worst roommate (and I've had some bad ones) was on my semester at Tel-Aviv University. It started on the group flight there, with this obnoxious surfer looking guy who was seated next to me (I was on an aisle, he was in the middle). On the ten...
As the time approaches for spring or summer breaks, many college students are getting ready for that much anticipated trip abroad. Most will have a safe and enjoyable adventure, but for some the trip will become a nightmare. A number of vacation
The World Health Organization (WHO) today said that the Government of China had announced the WHO expert team currently in Beijing will travel to Guangdong Province to investigate the SARS outbreak there. “These are very positive steps taken...
Cafeteria At Fault for College Weight Gain
Tips on how you can avoid weight gain caused by your cafeteria College weight gain is at an all time high, and as students continue to pack on the pounds at an increasing rate, we naturally want to know where the blame lies for this growing...
College Football
College football is getting to be as popular as professional football. In some areas of the country, college football is a lot more popular than NFL football. In Nebraska for example, Memorial stadium in Lincoln becomes the state’s third largest...
Getting A College Degree After The Military
The men and women who serve in America’s armed forces, National Guard, and reserve forces have paid a great service to our country. Some of them will never come back from foreign wars and others will return shattered and maimed both physically and...
How To Save Money While At College
Still struggling to pay off the college loan. Have you
disconnected your cell phone fair to keep off those darn
creditors. Need a quick beget rich scheme. Well, maybe not that
merely in this article you volition discovery approximately
practical...
Preparing For College?
To a high school senior, your last year in high school flies by. Overnight you find yourself faced with many adult decisions that once seemed so far away. With senior proms, skip days, senior trips, senior romances, and graduation; it is hard to...
Saving For College With Section 529s
Saving for College with Section 529 Plans
by Shelly R. Plumb, Educational Consultant
Section 529 Plans, otherwise known as Qualified State Tuition Programs, are all the rage for parents to save for college. These plans are state-sponsored...
The College Search Begins Early, Includes Entire Family
(ARA) - When it comes to getting into the college of your choice, the early bird truly gets the collegiate worm. Due to the growing selectivity of private colleges, waiting until the junior year to begin the search, application and financial aid...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
COLLEGE ROOMMATES 101
"Don't expect to be best friends with your roommate, just settle for not killing each other..."
"You would not believe how weird my roommate is..."
"My roommate from hell did it again..."
Yes, I heard all the roommate stories before I started college. The majority of them were about how awful roommates were and how it was impossible to get along. I had a major case of roommate phobia before I started college and I was convinced that I would get a psychopath for a roommate and everything would go downhill from there. To my surprise, my roommate and I became best friends and we decided to live together again this year.
I know it is definitely rare that my roommate and I ended up best friends, but the truth is, everyone can learn to get along with their roommates. It doesn't require that the two of you become best friends, or even friends at all. You just need to practice common courtesy. Here are a few helpful tips and guidelines:
Dan's Roommate Survival Guide
1. The first thing you and your roommate should do is to sit down and write a living contract together. List rules for the room that the both of you agree to follow. For example, quiet hours, telephone calls, borrowing each other's things, having friends sleep over, etc. Writing the contract together ensures that both of you understand what is agreed upon. Also, when one of you breaks one of the rules, there is written proof that the contract was violated, as opposed to the two of you arguing day in and day out about what the rules were in the first place.
2. After the contract is written, try your best to follow it. When you break one of the rules, apologize and acknowledge that you broke a rule. Don't pretend it didn't happen or hope that your roommate didn't notice. They probably did, and they will get upset with you if you pretend it didn't happen. Also, when your roommate breaks one of the rules, be forgiving, especially if you've broken a few rules yourself. Don't hold grudges and
keep tabs of when your roommate broke the rules and bring it up every time the two of you have a fight. This is extremely annoying and your roommate will end up doing the same. Then the two of you will have hour-long fights as both of you bring up everything that the other person did wrong since the beginning.
3. Be considerate. If you spilled something, clean it up. Wash the dishes after you use them, especially if the dishes aren't yours. Don't take things without permission. If you see your roommate studying, even if it isn't quiet hours, turn down the volume. Being considerate is contagious and your roommate will do the same for you.
4. And the most important tip of all, communicate with your roommate. If something is bothering you, don't expect your roommate to figure it out. Just tell him or her what it is and try to work out something so that it isn't bothering you anymore. It is so easy to just stop speaking to each other when something goes wrong, but it won't get resolved that way. Communication is the key!
I know that there are some really bad roommates out there and these guidelines won't help everyone. For those people, I recommend that you talk to your Resident Advisor as soon as possible and tell him/her your situation. Your RA's are paid to help you, so don't hesitate to go to them for support. They will let you know if it is possible to change rooms and/or roommates and what the proper procedure is.
Roommates are really nothing to be afraid of. They are people just like you. Chances are, even if you and your roommate are extremely different, you can still end up being friends. They are going to be a big part of your school experience, so make an effort to get along. And who knows? Maybe you will get lucky and you and your roommate will have a best friend for life-bridesmaid/ best man at your wedding-name your children after each other kind of relationship. Good luck!
About the Author
dan the roommate man
www.roommateexpress.com
|
|
|
|
|
|