Monday, July 9, 2018

How to Navigate the Waters of Relationships and How your Roommate Fits In

Starting College is kind of crazy. Suddenly you are tossed into a very small space with 40 thousand people, and at least some of them you are bound to find attractive. No matter what your relationship status is, or will be, there is an essential conversation that every set of roommates need to have at the beginning of fall semester: what to do about possible significant others or romantic relations.

It is almost inevitable that you or your roommate will have some sort of romantic encounter during your first year of college. And to be clear, a romantic encounter could simply be having a guy/girl over to watch Netflix on a Friday afternoon! But no matter the extent of the encounter, it is important to remember you are in a shared space. You never know what might make your roommate feel uncomfortable or unhappy – and trust me an unhappy roommate is never fun!

The key is always communication, and doing so before any situation arises. Most dramatic roommate fallouts could be prevented if the roommates had discussed boundaries and comfort zones before any situation occurs. I know it might seem awkward to have this type of “talk” with your roommate the first week of school (you just met them like two days ago) but trust me they have thought about having the “talk” with you too. Simply just ask them what they feel comfortable with happening in the room, the best method to communicate who else might be in the room at a specific time, and whatever else the two of you might think of.

Once you have open communication with your roommate, relationships in dorms is pretty smooth sailing. Just always keep in mind that you are sharing a living space with someone and they have just as much a right to be there as you do. If you feel that your roommate is forgetting that fact, it is okay to express how you are feeling, but remember you are stuck with them for a year so positivity is always key. As long as you and your roommate remain respectful and open with each other you are sure to have an awesome first year!

By: Liz Trautman (Envoy Team C) 

No comments:

Post a Comment