By Catherine Kastberg
Q: My roommate and I are on completely different schedules. She sleeps all day long and stays up all night. I have also found that she does not respect my space. I thought if I gave it enough time, eventually we would both come around and things would work out, but that has yet to happen. What do I do?
A: Believe it or not, this is a very common issue that arises with roommates. It is extremely hard when you are living in such close quarters, considering one light illuminates the entire room and even the slightest noise can disturb the other person. The first step you should take when trying to resolve a problem is communication. Just because you are friends with the person you are living with does not mean that you will necessarily live well together.
Different schedules and habits are constantly forming tiffs in friendships. Voice your concerns in a firm, not nasty, way. Make sure that your roommate does not take what you are saying as a joke. Even though it is a given that the space equally belongs to both of you, just give her a little reminder.
If you and your roommate belong to different friend groups and you find that your room is the late night hangout spot, but you have early classes the next day, pull your roommate aside and suggest that she hangs out with her friends in one of their rooms. You would be surprised how easy problems can be solved simply by asking. It is important to remember to be realistic. You cannot expect her friends to never come over, so make sure your request is reasonable.
If you are an early bird and like to go to bed at a reasonable time, but your roommate stays out until the early morning hours, I suggest trying earplugs. You would be surprised how much noise they can block out. Another issue that is common among roommates is snoring and talking in one’s sleep. I have tried noise machines before and trust me, it is a waste of money. Try falling asleep listening to music, or once again ear plugs; they are a life savers. If yor family lives close by, then try to go home on the weekends every once in a while.
