UI sucks at matching compatible roommates so here’s how to survive with the one you got
It’s hard to live together when the only thing you have in common is your prefered room temp
When it comes to pairing two people to shove into a 19′ by 12′ room, no amount of compatibility testing will ever be able to cover everything. That being said, there are some aspects of the matching process that The University of Iowa drops the ball on… big time.
Here are some helpful tips and tricks to help you survive living with a roommate that you matched with by the university’s standards, but is the complete and total opposite of you in real life.
Be as accepting of their bad habits as possible
It may seem like your roommate doesn’t recycle just to spite you and the planet, but that’s probably not the case. Keep saving the environment and snag their recyclables out of the trash when you can.
Hide your political party preferences
Politics this election year were rough, and when you shove both a cutout of Hillary and Trump in one room, things can get especially brutal.
You might be tempted to counter that “Socialism Sucks” sticker that somehow appeared on the mirror by putting that framed photo of Bernie above your bed. Resist the urge to retaliate as best you can.
Hide your “Hillary For Prison” t-shirts and make your “This Pussy Grabs Back” signs in complete secret, or just while your roommate is away at class. When they ask you where you’re going with your giant rolled up poster, hastily spit out, “The lib!”
Try to keep your pettiness under control
When you’re watching someone be alive and breathing for as long as you do with a roommate, it’s too easy for the smallest things to seem like the end of the world as we know it.
If they somehow manage to always leave their clothes dangerously close to your half of the room, avoid the temptation to kill them.
Avoid watching the news in the room and at all costs
DO NOT watch political debates together in the event that an incredulous snort escapes against your will. Hit up your friend on the floor above you and make it a date.
Don’t fight over the room temperature
It can get pretty annoying when the AC magically gets turned back to 64 degrees after you’ve moved it to 72 three times that day. Keep calm, take a deep breath, and switch the heat back on when your roomie heads to class.
Realizing that passive aggressive post it notes left on the air conditioner or throwing their clothes further onto their side of the room is never the answer is key to not dreading every time you come home and see a light on under your door. Swallowing the pettiness and letting that straightener sit in the middle of the vanity, daring you to put something past its dividing line can be the difference between having your leftovers be there the next day for you, or not.