Top 5 Things You MUST Do In College Pt. 4: Live With Strangers!

[The following is the third of a five-part series I'm calling "The Top 5 Things You MUST Do In College." Everyone's already heard about buying flip-flops for the shower, stocking up on veggies to avoid the Freshman 15, and to steer clear of mojitos before midterms, but there are other tips for enjoying college that the experts might have neglected to tell you about.

By CC Staff

This series is meant to provide advice for getting the most out of college, rather than just getting through it. So far we've already discussed having a professor as a BFF, checking out what's going on in your college town, joining new clubs, and now it's time to really settle down--with strangers!]

Okay, okay, some of you are already thinking that I’m a nutjob for telling you to move in with strangers. No, I don’t intend for you to scope Craigslist for an apartment with locals, but I think there’s something to be gained from living with other students who aren’t necessarily your closest pals.

For one thing, if you live with the people who are in your primary social group, it’s possible you might start to get on one another’s nerves. If you’re sharing living space with your best friends (who you also go out with, take classes with and eat in the caf with), you’re bound to find something about each other that annoys you. And it’s totally possible that your best bud can share your opinions on guys, style, and music but absolutely disagree with you about study habits, cleanliness, and noise levels– factors that make or break a good roommate relationship.

The bottom line is, rooming with your closest friends might not always be the ideal.

So why–and how– should you go about finding “strangers” to live with? I’ll tell you about an experience of my own. During my sophomore year, I was living with two other terriffic girls in a suite setup (pun intended). But both of them were planning on studying abroad during junior year, and I wasn’t. I was forced to look for new living arrangements for the following year, and I had no idea where to start. I told a random friend of mine from one of my classes about my dilemma, and she responded by saying that she and her friends were looking for a fifth girl with whom to share an apartment. I’d never met any of the other girls, but I knew my classmate well enough to go apartment-hunting with her. I became acquinted with my other roommates-to-be and discovered we all valued sleep and study time and cleanliness at an equal level.

Before I knew it, we were handing in our contract. It turned out to be the best decision I could have made, because not only was I meeting new people (through guests they brought to our place), but I felt more independent, too. I could go out or stay in on my own without the pressure of inviting my other roommates along, which I would have to do had they been my best friends. We all had our own lives to live, and we respected each others’ space and interests.

Living with other students you may not be friends with can open up your social circle and intellectual interests. If you find a roommate who has a different major than you, you’ll find yourself learning much more than just what’s on your own syllabus. One of my roommates studied nutritional sciences and ended up having a huge influence on my own diet by giving me tips to stay healthy and energized. And if you never set foot in your school’s gym, living with a student athlete could change your body and up your school spirit.

Ultimately, college is an experience that you shape on your own, and with so many possibilities it’s interesting to see what other students like to do with their four years. By living with students outside your social group you can discover lots of other facets of your school without leaving your common room. If you’re already looking for next year’s roommates, don’t forget the other folks on the periphery of your social sphere. Do you have a buddy you always see at the library? Are you a regular at the gym, and know who else is too? Think about people you know from clubs or class, too.

But make sure your roommates aren’t too strange; double-check that they’re also a night-owl like you, or don’t mind a little clutter. Follow these guidelines, and you’re golden!

[Stay tuned for the last installment coming soon: Write for the School Paper- At Least Once!]

[image courtesy of uoregon.edu]