Dealing With Roommate Problems? So is Most of Elon

Freshman year, we all had an idealistic image of what life with our new roommate(s) would look like. The thought of living with a new person, that is a stranger, seems exciting and daunting at the same time. The hope is that they will be our best friends and life will be nothing short of a blast. However, that’s not always the case.

A disagreement of any magnitude is both uncomfortable and upsetting, and attempting to navigate the issue is always tricky. Not everyone is confrontational. Not everyone is passive. But, learning to live with others is oftentimes inevitable and part of life. 

We talked to 30 current female Elon students to see what residential life is like for them, and how they handle difficult roommate situations. 

96.4% of the respondents said that they live with a range of one to nine other roommates. While none of them have moved out because of a disagreement, 89.3% said that they have definitely had fights with the people that they live with.

And it’s only October.

Not getting along with roommates is totally normal, and it happens to everyone at one point or another. The most important thing is figuring out the best way to solve things that works for EVERYONE. Finding this may take time and will certainly be filled with trial and error. 

The Elon girls gave some tips and tricks that have worked for them when it comes to making sure everyone is happy.

Most commonly, people said that confronting the roommate or having a roommate meeting if there are multiple people in the house works the best for them. It doesn’t always need to be a heated fight, but a simple “hey, can you please wash your dishes when you’re done with them?” can suffice! Talking things out until the problem is solved may be frustrating, but it is definitely a good skill to learn. If a problem arises and no one tries to solve it, it will only get worse. 

However, for people that need a wall broken down before face-to-face confrontation begins, sending a roommate a quick text about what is going on and asking to talk about it can help! This way, both sides are more prepared to talk in person. 

If trying to solve the issue just doesn’t seem like it will work, try putting some space between all roommates! Especially if there is residual anger, the 24-hour apart rule is golden. 

It is important to keep trying different tactics for problem-solving until one works. Then stick with it! Never forget: everyone wants to live as happily and healthily as possible, so they will try their best to make sure that this is possible.