Babson Survival Guide Part 7: Roommates
No matter how good of a room you get, you won't enjoy it unless you get a cool roommate. This could make or break your freshman year.
Try to get in touch with your roommate before you arrive in August. Chances are you both have AIM and Facebook, so it should be pretty simple. At the very least, figure out who is going to bring what. For example, you'll probably want a refrigerator, microwave, and TV, and only one of each. Remember, space is limited in these dorms.
You should probably get your concerns out in the open at first to avoid future conflicts. Some people get along really well and some roommates are so different that they always piss each other off. Big fights just make things worse, although sometimes your roommate is just terrible, so you can try to switch rooms with someone. That's not an easy solution though, so try to talk things over, and do your best to be a hospitable roommate.
To help out, try to follow these cardinal rules:
Don't leave garbage all over the room.
Don't leave dirty laundry out in the open.
Always knock or at least be loud (shake a keychain, etc.) when opening a locked door.
Do NOT puke on the floor.
Don't leave the main light on all night if your roommate is trying to sleep.
Relay any messages left on the room telephone.
Don't burn food in the microwave - it will stink everything up.
Don't eat your roommate's food without asking.
Don't have sex when your roommate is on the bunk bed below you.
Don't break something and ask your roommate to replace it. (And don't blame it on your roommate.)
Wash your clothes so they don't stink up the room.
Take regular showers.
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