Living with someone is never an easy job. There is so much you have to deal with. And we aren't talking about live-in relationships or boyfriends. We are talking about friends who are roommates and that calls for a very weird situation if things go wrong.
Everything's hunky-dory when you decide to take a flat of your own and live the independent life but things get tougher by the day. It's almost like a relationship that you have to go through. Except you live with this one! Now some roommates are absolute darlings.They keep to themselves, they don't bother you and they're great company. But then there are others, who have taken it upon them to turn your life into a burning hell!! Students who have to deal with hostels during the early years of their student life perhaps can adjust to anybody right now but they all started with very difficult people. Nabil, a student in his fourth year of engineering recalls his first year of hostel. "Everything was scary. The atmosphere in general, the seniors and the thought of staying away from parents. Over this, we had to face the perils of having a roommate." Nabil talks about how his first roommate never used to take a bath and always used to mess up the room. "It was disgusting and frustrating. I wouldn't call myself a neat freak, but I am human!" says Nabil. Nithing soon moved out from the room after enduring 10 months of his smelly roommate.
One of the things you might have to learn to learn to deal with a bad roommate is to put your foot down. No, Ignorance is not bliss and you cannot hope that "things will change". Once your roommate gets an idea that you won't have a problem then he would not stop what he is doing either. So when you see something that you don't like, make sure you point it out to him/her.
Having a roommate has its own advantages. You become more accommodative and tolerant. You also learn to manage relationships because as easy as it sounds, having a roommate requires a lot of negotiation and decisions. The inevitable question of how much is too much always emerges. Even if you're good friends, it is always advisable to keep a considerable amount of distance from your roommate. At some point you may hit epiphany that you are invading the other person's privacy and vice versa. And when that happens, it turns into a very uncomfortable situation where you are caught between the devil and the deep sea. Malika, a student who lived with her best friend for years says that it is very tricky managing with the person you're living with. "I had to be on guard all the time. Every time I went into her room, I kept thinking whether I was being too pushy or intrusive". Malika eventually worked out a plan with her best friend so that each of them would have their share of quality time.
Having a good roommate is very essential. At the end of a long working day, you just want to come back to your own space. And having that space is very important for one's mental peace. So make sure, you choose your roommate well.