Every week, Marysa gives great advice about how to live with a roommate. She’s helped you solve just about any problem you could run into when sharing a room with someone. But how do you get a roommate in the first place? If you’re living in a dorm, a lot of the time you don’t have much choice in the matter. As weird as it can be to get a random room assignment, it actually makes life a lot easier. Whether you’re graduating soon or just looking to move off campus, how do you let people know that you’re available to their roommate?

Finding a roommate is a little bit like what your mom probably told you about dating – you just have to put yourself out there. But it’s not always quite that simple. See how Marysa suggests you make the connections you need to find the perfect roommate!

If you have a question for Marysa, ask her on twitter @Marysa_Miller or by sending an email to editor [at] collegecandy [dot] com with “Ask a Roommate” in the subject line!

I had the most awkward roommate my first year of college. Like everyone under the sun suggested, I tried my best to stick it out and get to know her. Keyword: tried.

After a failed trip to Canada that almost got me killed, five-week-old leftover Indian food in my mini-fridge, taking and wearing my jeans without asking, puking all over her bed and then shutting the windows…I finally had to count my loses and accept that my roommate was absolutely CRAZY and our relationship was going nowhere.

Thank God.

But, since hindsight is always 20/20, if I had the chance to choose who my freshman year roomie would have been, you know who I would have picked? Celebrities. Big time celebs. Not the Indie films stars (even though I still find them incredibly talented and way more interesting than me). I’m talkin’ Hollywood A-list, top-of-the-line, million-dollar-making, still warm from their last vacation, celebrities!

I’ll admit, not all of my top 10 celeb picks were motivated by everlasting friendship:

initiating the gallery...

In The Roommate, Leighton Meester plays Rebecca, who befriends her dorm-mate Sara. It seems like they’re becoming besties until Rebecca gets obsessed with Sara, putting both her and her friends in some serious danger. While we all have our roommate drama, Rebecca is seriously, one crazy roommate. Promise, yours will look like a saint next to her!

Can’t wait for the movie? You’ll have to wait till it hits theaters February 4, but in the meantime, you can enter to win a grand prize of $1000 in gift cards so you can give your dorm or bedroom the ultimate makeover!

Have a roommate you actually like? Send her this link and you can both enter to win! Two (2) first prize winners will also get $500 gift cards — so unless you have a psycho roomie who’s cut off your Internet, what are you waiting for?! Enter now!

Dear everyone who has made this semester possible,

In light of all the Thanksgiving warm-and-fuzzies people are exchanging, I would like to take a moment and thank you for helping me strive for my goals, both academic and otherwise, and assisting me in my greatest endeavors.  Excelling this year is crucial, I understand that, and I’m just so grateful you all have decided to invest your efforts in my future.

And where would my manners be if I didn’t take the time to thank you all individually?

To my roommate: You.  You, you, you.  You’re one crazy mothereffer, you know that?  When we first met, I didn’t think I’d last thirty seconds in your lair of crazy.  Then you took me under your wing.  You introduced me to Jager bombs and insisted that it was only suggested that students attend 8 a.m. lectures.  You knew the entire men’s swim team.  Now we’re the best of besties.  Where would I be without you?  Probably in some library wasting my life away.  Or hanging out with the intramural chess geeks.

To my Poli-Sci TA: When I showed up forty minutes late to the midterm with a hangover and a severe case of sex hair, thank you for pretending not to notice.  Also, thank you for providing me with a No. 2 pencil, an extra ScanTron in case I threw up on the first, and seat right next to you.  You smell delicious and I really dig your beard.

To the janitor in the humanities building: Thank you for cleaning the third floor bathroom with such diligence.  You know that’s my secret spot for getting business done.  Selected not only for its reliable vacancy, but shiny linoleum and fresh pine scent as well, I look forward to spending a few minutes in there every Monday, Wednesday, and alternating Friday.

To the entire staff at Starbucks: Don’t think I don’t notice how frothy you make my frappuccinos.  And when you slip me an extra shot of espresso in my morning latte?  Glorious!  Should my pre-law degree not pan out, I’m coming to join your fine team of individuals.

To the brothers of [Blah Blah Blah] fraternity: You have the most kegs.  You have the strongest jello shots.  You have the darkest, most cavernous basement.  It is because of your hospitable nature that I got to third base with your Social Chair over Greek Week.  A million thanks, guys.  Really.  It’s because of you alone that I can achieve the level of insanity that I do most weekends.

To Mom and Dad: Thank you for emotionally and financially backing me on this crazy adventure.  Just so you know, that textbook money really did go toward textbooks…no worries.  And I didn’t try to sell my meal plan for “drug money.”  I don’t know what Amy’s mom was hinting at with that bizarre comment.  Sure, I may have rented out my extra-long to the girl down the hall with the horrible room assignment, but since I met that cute senior I spend most nights at his place.  I didn’t want any of your tuition costs to be wasted!  See?  I really am taking your advice and thinking like a fiscally responsible adult!

To my younger sister: Thanks for checking the caller ID for my name on Thursday through Sunday nights and making sure our parents don’t pick up my drunk-dial.  I’ll return the favor when it’s your turn.

You’re all the best.  More than any girl could ever wish for.

XOXO,
Me

The Huffington Post created this gem of a slideshow several days ago.  Liz O’Neill claims that the usual reasons your roommates loathe you (you’re a slob, a mooch, etc.) are veils for deeper, subtler issues. Actually, they hate you because you are prettier than them. And, you’re going to make more money than them in a few years!

As I read this, I felt like I was listening to a mother stroke her child’s ego. The different hate-causing categories of behavior Ms. O’Neill gives are bizarre. And, based on my own college experiences, totally ludicrous (I mean, seriously? My roommates don’t like me because I have a diary? Seriously?).

So, here are the REAL 7 reasons your college roommates hate you. And sorry – we’re not going to sugar-coat these bad boys.

1.     You’re a Bad Drunk

You’re as sweet as candy during the day. But, after a few shots, you’re slurring your words. You’re cursing like a sailor. You’re losing all functionality in your limbs. As your roommates carry you home, vomit decorating your Sevens, you tell them you hate them and they all suck. The next morning, you feel awful, but you can’t understand why everyone’s so mad because you remember nothing. Well, newsflash: Your roommates hate you because, actually, you’re the one that really sucks.

2.     You’re a Kleptomaniac

When you’re getting ready for work in the morning, hours before your roommates roll out of bed, you steal some Bumble and Bumble hair product from the medicine cabinet. Later that night, when you’re craving a late-night study snack, you grab a bag of your pretzels. Ick, they’re stale. So, you eat your roommate’s instead. When you realize you ate an obvious amount, you throw a few of the stale ones into your roommate’s bag of Snyder’s. You never borrow anything massive, but all the little things add up daily. And she notices.

3.     You Have a 3^rd Roommate… Every Night

Visitors: You love them in the morning, and in the afternoon. You love them in the evening, and underneath the moon. Well, guess what? Your roommate doesn’t. She’s tired of getting sexiled the night before her Econ exam or looming research paper deadline. Learn to keep it in your pants or start dividing your time between your house and your special friend’s to ease the roommate tension.

4.     You’re Messy

Your hair is clogging the shower drain. You left your underwear and smelly workout clothes in the middle of the room. You snacked on some ice cream and frosting and left the dirty bowl and silverwear underneath the couch. You left your dirty pad on the bathroom floor. And now your roommate wants to go all Snooki WWE on you.

5.     You’re Always on the Phone

“OMG!! NO WAY…HE DID NOT!” you shout while your roommate tries to watch the episode of Glee she missed on her laptop. After you hang up, you hear a notification on your computer. Sammy wants to Skype! You click accept, and begin chatting away. We get it: staying in touch with home friends is important in college. However, be respectful of your roommate’s space. She doesn’t want to hear every little detail of Sammy’s life. Or the other 132 people you talk to weekly. Hold the phone (or video chat) until she’s out of the room.

6.     You Love the Snooze Button

Oh, you snoozed 7 times this morning? 3 hours before your roommate needed to be up for class? Yeah, I wonder why she’s pissed.

7.     You’re Passive Aggressive

When something is really bothering you (like the Klepto, Snooze-pressing, insanely sloppy roommate), you are cold. You monosyllabically answer their friendly questions. When they ask you what’s wrong, you say nothing. Welcome to the land of Passive Aggressivia. Population: You. If you want to stop disliking your roommate, you need to actually let them know they are doing something that’s bothering you instead of hoping they’ll get the message. Speak up and you’ll quickly be on the road to a better college-living life.

No, I’m not talking about how Facebook is actively ruining the dating world.  I’m referring to all the potholes you’ll encounter by selecting your own college roommate.

Trending on campuses all over the country are websites that allow you to cherry pick the “perfect” roommate.  Gone are the days where the punky goth ends up living with the preppy, bubbly cheerleader.  No longer will the study bug bunk with the party animal.  The revolution is upon us, and now you can select your own freshman fate.

Think answering a questionnaire and having your personality matched with another’s sounds great?  Well, to me it sounds as accurate as an “Are You Robert Pattinson’s Soul Mate?” quiz pulled from the pages of Teen Beat.  Here are all the things you’re going to be doing for yourself simply by going rando:

Diversifying your day-to-day.
Yeah, I said it.  If you live with your friends, or even someone who’s got similar tastes, you miss out on the whole “getting to know you” experience.  Finding out that your roomie likes to wake up at 5 a.m. for a little Incan meditation and chanting, or sharing your fear of avocados with a girl who loves making guacamole on her desk- these are the situations that help you learn two very important life lessons: not everyone is you and not everyone gets along all the time.

Learning to communicate
Okay, so you were star of the debate team and aspire to be a presidential speechwriter.  Congratulations.  Still doesn’t mean you know how to navigate real-life sticky situations with flexibility and kindness.  You’re in luck, however, because rooming with your complete opposite is the perfect place to learn such skills.  While Ms. Avocado is slicing and dicing on her chem book, you could a) throw a fit and have a panic attack or b) politely explain that you’ve got an aversion to the gooey green and request that in the future she Bobbly Flay elsewhere.  Communication’s not hard, but you never would have learned had you roomed with your salsa-only BFF.

Acknowledging that just because you both love Full House doesn’t mean you’ll love each other.
You know that phrase “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”?  Yeah, that applies here.  I’ve seen it firsthand.  Girls meeting at orientation or finding each other on Facebook- Ohmigod your favorite crayon is Purple Mountain’s Majesty and you want to marry John Stamos, too!?  Five minutes later, they’re instant roommates and friends for life.  Or so they think.  Introduce boys, booze, and a little study time…by Thanksgiving they’ll be applying for a dorm switch.

Discovering things about yourself.
Pretty much everyone goes into college thinking three things about themselves.  First, that they’re moderately clean people.  Second, that they’re not that whorey.  And third, that they’re totally laid back.  But guess what?  You’re a slob, you’re absolutely a whore on weekends, and you’re uptight at least three other nights a week.  You’re not always the person you think you are, so going in with preconceived notions of how you’ll work with a particular roommate could become irrelevant once you’re actually living with one another.

Just like you think you’re going to have to deal with some stranger’s crap, they’re going to have to deal with yours.  And you might surprise yourself in finding that your crap’s the same.  It goes beyond the basics, too.  Sharing a DVD collection, finding out about new music, mixing with a different crowd…that’s what college is about.  Exploring the outer limits of your comfort zone and maybe making some new friends in the process.

Agree? Disagree? Make your voice heard by voting in this poll!

It's all smiles when you communicate openly.

It’s back-to-school season and that should mean you’ve figured out your living situation for next year.  Regardless of where you’re living – be it in a 10X10 cell in the dorms or a dingy old apartment off campus – or who you’re living with, now’s the time to set ground rules and figure out how to make your living situation work for the school year.

I’ve had a lot of roommates – nine in four years to be exact.  I’ve also had varying degrees of success with roommates, and the common factor that determines whether things are good or bad in all situations is the level of communication.  If you communicate early on about what you want your living situation to look like, it will make things easier in the long run, guaranteed.

To help you start the conversation with your roommate, here is a list of questions you should be sure to ask. Will it be weird to bring these up with the stranger assigned to you by the school? Maybe, but 3 months from now, you’ll be glad you had the awkward convo.

1.  What’s your stance on overnight guests?
This question can refer to both friends visiting and people you are hooking up with.  Figuring out your policy on this question is probably one of the most important.  You’ll want to figure out how often people can stay, if it’s okay if anyone stays over on a school night, and, if you share a bedroom, what the roommate is supposed to do. I don’t think I need to tell you this, but it is NOT okay to hook up while the other person is sleeping in the same room, even if they’re passed out.

2. Do you smoke – cigarettes or otherwise?
Most residences try to keep smokers and non-smokers apart.  If you are a non-smoker living with a smoker, try and set up a designated smoke area outside, and have rules about cigarette butts.  Finding out if your roommates do drugs is also important, as you should make them aware if you are not comfortable having them use (or bring their shady lady friends over) in your place of residence.

3. What time do you wake up and go to bed?  What are your morning and nighttime routines?
Finding out what hours your roommate keeps is important, especially if you’re sharing a room.  Having a designated lights-out time is always good to ensure everyone gets the sleep they need (and reading lights are a great solution if one roommate wants to stay up reading later).  Also, find out how much time they take to get ready in the morning – if you spend 20 minutes in front of the closet, or like to listen to music getting ready, it could affect a sleeping roommate.

4. How often do you think cleaning needs to be done?  How would you split up cleaning duties?
If you and your future roommate both wash dishes as soon as they’re used, or have a certain day of the week you like to clean, you may not need a cleaning schedule.  If both of you are somewhat lazy and messy, a cleaning schedule could be useful to ensure one person doesn’t have to pick up after the other.  Deciding if you can split the cost of cleaning supplies is useful too.

5. How often do you party?  Do you drink?  How much/often?
While how much someone parties can change significantly when they start college, it’s good to get a sense of how much they think they’ll be partying.  If one roommate has a class at 8 am on Friday (ew!) and the other has the day off, maybe have guidelines for when they need to be home, or if they need to crash elsewhere if they’re planning on coming in late.

6. Are there any bills we’ll need to split?  Are there any big items we can share?
If you’re sharing a res room, chances are you only need one mini-fridge, one TV, etc.  Decide who will bring what, as splitting items at the end of the year gets tricky.  If neither of you wants a fridge at the end of the year, look into splitting the cost of renting one from the school if that’s an option.  And if you’re living off campus, figure out now who will be paying which bills so you don’t end up in the dark, sans cable because everyone thought someone else had paid the bill.

7. Do you watch The Real Housewives? Isn’t Kelly Bensimon CRAZY?
Hey, having TV shows in common makes for instant roommate bonding. But even more, if your potential roommate doesn’t think Kelly is crazy, you might want to find someone new.

8. How often do you study?  What environment do you like when you study?
Music on/off?  Complete silence?  What time of day? In the room or in the library? These are all ways to gauge your roomie’s study habits, and it’s important to know what works best and how it will fit in with your preferred study regimen. You’re in college to learn, after all.

9. What items are you open to sharing?  What items do you not like to lend out?
Knowing what you can and can’t borrow is key. (Especially after a long day at the ‘brary when all you wanted was that extra slice of pizza from lunch and you come home to find the roommate has eaten it….)  Decide if you want to share any food products, or other household items. Also let your roommate know if you are not okay with them borrowing your computer, favorite sweater, boyfriend, etc.

10. What size are you?
What? Sharing clothes and shoes is the biggest perk of having a roommate.

Get these things out of the way now and you’ll be smooth sailing through second semester and beyond!

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Not sure how to balance school and fun? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics?

Question:
I’m leaving for college in like 4 weeks and I’m so excited. (But that might be because my summer job is so boring haha.) I am living in a single next year and I couldn’t be happier. I didn’t want to live with someone random and my friends aren’t going to school with me so I went with a single instead.  Now that school is getting closer I’m getting worried that might have been a bad idea. Without a roommate how will I meet people? Was a single a bad idea? Not that I can change it….. Do you have any advice for meeting people?

Busy Bee:
First off, getting a single was not a bad idea. You will meet tons of people on your floor, through classes, and my favorite…by joining clubs! I can’t stress this enough. People are always concerned about having friends, but what they often forget is that 1) You will always be your own best friend, and 2) You gotta put yourself out there to have friends. One of my life philosophies is that what you put out into the world, you will receive back. If you want friends, then be charismatic. That’s all it takes – people are attracted to positive energy. Anyway, you’ll be fine – just don’t be shy. Start by friending someone who does have a roommate. That way, you’ll have automatic invite whenever a group of people go out. Just put yourself out there and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Party Girl:
I’m not going to lie to you, having roommates definitely makes the meet-and-greet first weeks of college a lot easier.  The good news is that your social life doesn’t necessarily have to suffer because of your solitary status. You just gotta get creative.  Go out of your way to get to know the other students on your hall.  Go door to door and introduce yourself, keep the door open, play a little music, and don’t be afraid to hang your head in someone’s room if you see their door is open, too.  Also, everyone loves a party (and sharing some illegally procured beers bonds people together like nothing else can), so have a little pre-game in your room before heading out to those Welcome Week frat parties, then have them back in your room for some late night pizza when you stumble home. Whatever you do, do not shut that door (unless you’re changing….or getting busy); the more available you make yourself, the more friends you’ll make.

GPA Girl:
Girl, trust me, this is not a problem at all. You are going to be sooooo happy you have a single once the school year gets started and you want to throw parties in your room or take guys back to your digs. Plus, you can throw your stuff anywhere anytime you want and no one will yell at you, and you can listen to your own music all day long, have total silence when you need it… can you tell I live by myself?! OK, but seriously. First of all, you can definitely and easily meet new people without having a roommate. In most cases, your roomie’s new friends don’t end up being your new friends anyway. Second, potential new friends almost drop into your lap at college. Go to student orientation, go to new activity sign-ups, join intramural sports teams, try to attend club meetings that interest you, go to study groups, etc. Basically, get out there. If you’re willing to smile and say “Hi” to people you see, you’ll have bucketloads of friends before you know it. After all, everybody is in the same boat as you and is also trying to navigate their own college experience, so it’s helpful to have shipmates along for the ride! OK, that’s enough metaphors for one day. Good luck!

It’s time, ladies and gents.

We gave you a week to tell us what makes you the best roommate and, adorably enough, many of you submitted stories on what makes your roommate the best. Awwww.

Our hearts melted, we got a little jealous (our current roommate is on Ambien and eats our food in the middle of the night….) and now it’s time to exercise our rights and vote for the best roommate of all time. Below are the top 6 entries (as voted by us at CollegeCandy HQ). Read ‘em, then scroll down and vote for who YOU think is most deserving of the total room makeover from TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

Remember:

1. Voting ends at 5pm EDT on Wednesday, July 21st.

2. That means that you have until then to get your peeps to hop on over here and vote for you! (Click here to give your friends a little nudge….)

3. You can only vote once, so no cheating!

4. We’re awarding prizes to the top three vote-getters. The top dawg gets the big makeover, but 2nd and 3rd place each get a $50 gift card to TJ Maxx/Marshalls to help outfit their new rooms!

The stories:

Leah: I would like to nominate MY roommate, who also happens to be my best friend. I have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) really bad, and of course I got my period when were were on spring break in Florida. While I was overheated, throwing up, almost passed out, and sweating buckets lying on the floor of the handicap stall in the Ron Jon Surf Shop ladies’ room, she was sitting right next to me. She got me water, food, and a towel to lay down on. She didn’t even try to tell me how gross the bathroom floor was (but the second I got better, I realized… ew). She sat with me as I took the nap necessary to cool down, while I repeated what a good friend she is. She never gave me a hard time or even mentioned it again. She is really the best roommate ever.

Marissa: I go to UC Irvine and though I really don’t want to sound full of myself by saying I’m the best roommate ever, there was something I did for one of my roommates recently that I was pretty excited about. Her birthday was one day after we left school for summer break and, with having to cram for finals the previous week, we didn’t really have a chance to celebrate. Luckily our hometowns are only 20 minutes away and she needed to stop by my place a few days later to pick up something. Before finals, we were watching a cake show on Food Network and she mentioned she’d love a cake that looked like the ones on TV. So when I got home, I decided to make her a birthday cake like the ones we saw that night to make up not celebrating her day (plus she has an insane sweet tooth, so anything chocolate related I knew she would love!). Since she is absolutely in love with the Twilight Saga, I decided to use it as a theme to design the cake. I hadn’t made anything like this cake before, so I taught myself how to make fondant and decorated the cake to encompass every book in the series. Using pieces of fondant, I decorated the cake like a chessboard, with the eclipse ribbon as a border, and added handmade cake toppers of the twilight apple, the new moon tulip, and the breaking dawn chess pieces. I also added a personal touch by adding her lucky number on top. When I finally showed her the finished product, she was in complete awe. She was so happy, she literally gave me a 5-minute hug and could not get over how cool it looked. Just seeing her that excited over it absolutely made my day.

Melissa: I don’t know about myself, but my roommate SYDNEY HURT was absolutely the best roommate a girl could have. Everything you wish your roommate would do, she did intuitively. When I was homesick or broken up over my long distance relationship, she was there not only to talk, but to MAKE me talk about things. She always knew when something was wrong-when I needed someone to talk to, when I needed to get out and have some fun, and when I just needed space to cool down. She was always honest, but also nonjudgemental and understanding.
When I forgot things for class in the room, she would wake up 3 HOURS BEFORE HER FIRST CLASS of the day, get dressed, and bring me whatever I had forgotten. No complaints, just an understanding that I owed her. Once, I had to wake up to leave for a trip at 3 in the morning. I had a huge research paper (worth 20% of my grade) due the same day and hadn’t finished it until almost 1AM, so I didn’t have a chance to turn it in early. The professor was a real bitch, so she wouldn’t let me submit it electronically or anything. Sydney delivered it to her for me before the due date of 8AM even though she didn’t have to be awake until that afternoon and had a horrible personal history with this particular professor.

When my car stalled out in the middle of nowhere, she was there to come jump me off, even though she barely had money for gas for her own car. One weekend the weather (practically a monsoon with tornados!!) kept me from going home, and I was really upset about missing the chance to see my boyfriend. When I got back to the room after a LONG day of class, I found my favorite dish from our favorite Chinese place sitting on my bed. Sydney had braved life and limb just to cheer me up. What more could a girl ask for in a roommate? Honestly. By the end of our time as roommates, we were more like sisters. We had movie nights, studied together, worked out together, and talked about everything. Without her, my first year at school would have been miserable. I love her like family!

Jessie: I want to nominate my roommate Megan Hutcheson, not myself, because she is so deserving of this after what she did for me. In February of this year, I woke up one morning fairly early and she heard me. She could tell I was not okay, and asked if she could help. At that point, I didn’t know what was wrong, so I just told her my abdomen hurt, but I was going to try and go back to sleep. She got up about an hour later to go to work and told me that if I needed anything, to just give her a call or email her. At 10 am I couldn’t take the pain anymore and realized I needed to go to the hospital. I emailed Megan to tell her I was going to the hospital. She called me back telling me she was running out of work and coming to get me. She drove me to the ER in a snow storm! When we got to the ER, the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, so while I was undergoing tests, Megan was keeping my parents updated and figuring out when and how my mom could get into town. Later that afternoon, my mom was able to get a flight into town and got to the hospital around 4:30. Megan sat with me throughout the entire day, helping me keep my mind off of everything that was going on. When my mom got to the hospital, Megan told her she was staying with me until they figured out what was wrong. Around 5, the doctors decided that they were going to do surgery, having suspicions that it was appendicitis. Megan stayed with my mom and I until I went into surgery at 7pm. She sat and waited with my mom until I got out of surgery at 8:15 and the surgeon came out to talk to them. I wound up having an appendectomy. After sitting in the hospital with my mom and I, Megan finally went home 10 hours later, knowing I was okay.

Throughout the next couple of days, Megan visited me, and constantly texted me making sure I was okay. When I was able to come back to school, Megan was constantly by my side, always helping me lift my books, carrying my things, helping me get to class, and driving me to appointments. I cannot thank her enough for everything she did for me throughout that time. She is truly the best friend and roommate a girl could as for!

Haley: Picture this: Relaxing evening. Writing papers. Order pizza because it’s too cold to go outside. Said goodnight to my roommate and she went off to her boyfriend’s place.

An hour later: Stomach feels funny.
Few hours later: Wake up, run to bathroom.
Few hours later: Run for bathroom to throw up from food poisoning. Don’t make it to bathroom. Crawl back to bed.
Half hour later(6am): Call roommate in tears, asking for gatorade.
Few minutes later: Roommate and her boyfriend arrive with gatorade, pepto, yogurt, soup, saltines, a new thermometer and cleaning products. They clean up both the room and me. They refuse any repayment for anything even though they spent over $40.
All Day for Two Days: Roommate and her boyfriend take shifts making sure I’m alright, bringing more Gatorade, calling my Mom to update her.
Middle of the Night on 2nd night: Roommate and her boyfriend spend three hours on the phone calling hospitals because can’t move and fever spikes. They arrange for parents of other friends to drive me to said hospital because I refuse to pay for an ambulance. They even call my mom to get her final opinion before allowing me to give it until student health opens. They put up with my whining and agree to let me wait it out.

Simply put, Laura is the best freaking roommate in the entire world. She puts up with me leaving the light on, singing all of the time and making YouTubes in our room. We go to different ethnic supermarkets and try the most random thing that we can find (a warning against dried jellyfish on a stick..), comes to my folk music concerts with a smile, spent three hours with flashlights in the dark trying to find my great-aunt’s necklace that fell off after I failed my GRE and humored my rather eccentric decorating style that basically involved my wall acting as a giant scrapbook. Couldn’t have asked for anything more. Can’t wait until I see her again.

Colleen: It’s like Taylor and I were destined to become best friends. We had a mutual best friend in high school, though we did not really know one another. We both chose Indiana University, but did not choose to room with one another. Not knowing anyone at the school, we decided since we sort of knew one another that we should probably go out the first week together. We became inseparable from that moment on! My roommate ended up having to withdraw from school on medical leave just before Thanksgiving break, the same time Taylor’s roommate was getting to the point where they could not be in the same room together anymore. We arranged it so Taylor moved in with me and it could not have been a better decision!

We did not argue once. If anything was bothering either of us (a messy room, distracting music, alone time, etc.) we were honest and open with each other about it and it was never a big deal. We shared so many stories, laughs, and cries that it was like we became sisters and every night was a sleepover. We went out together, ate together, and had no problem doing things on our own either. But if a couple of hours went by without at least a text to one another, we’d be missing each other’s company already!

Some of the amazing things we did for each other throughout the year:
When Tay’s “OLD roommate” would scream at her to the point of tears, all she would have to do is walk to my dorm across the street and I would be there to tell her it was OK and that “old roommate” was a bitch and she did not deserve to be screamed at. I gave “old roommate” a piece of my mind once and for all.

My grandmother passed away during the year and Tay brought me food all day, made sure I had company in the room all day (when I wanted it) and just comforted me so much. After returning to school from all of the services late on a Sunday night, Tay was sleeping but I had a Build-a-Bear and a beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting on my bed that she and other girls on the floor got for me to let me know they cared.

Taylor has had a boyfriend for almost 4 years now and he goes to University of Iowa. Needless to say, after being so far apart and on different schedules it was difficult for her. I never asked her to go somewhere else to talk with him, always kept up on how they were doing, gave her the best advice I could when they were going through rough patches, and left the room when necessary if he was visiting.

So, who’s it gonna be? VOTE NOW!

#7: Slob-ka-bob

Okay, so here at CollegeCandy we are all about rewarding good roommate behavior. But this little contest got me thinking about all the problematic things that roommates do.

I know I’m not 100% perfect as a roommate, and I’ve been guilty of being a hot mess roommate (Sarah, if you’re reading this, I’m still sorry I never filled the ice cube trays. Or scrubbed the bathroom like you did!) as well. But come on, there are just some unforgivable awful roommates. Let’s count ‘em down, and share your worst roommate (or how you’re not exactly worthy of a hot TJ Maxx room) stories in the comments.

10. Sorority of One
Okay, so we all know that “no man is an island,” but no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to get this girl to have a social life. Friday night? Time to play computer games. Saturday night? In bed by 8:00. This roommate just does not want to have fun, socialize or involve herself in any curricular activities. Even worse, she just plain never leaves your dorm/apartment. Ugh!

9. The ghost
Sometimes a blessing, the ghost is never in the apartment. Sure, she pays rent, the cable and electric bills but you would never even know she’s a resident. As for her whereabouts, who knows where she is? She doesn’t divulge details and is a completely MIA roomie.

8. Her-and-her-boyfriend
You thought you were living with just one girl, but then her boy toy starting staying. One night. Then two. Then every damn night of the week. He invades your shower time, drinks your milk, doesn’t pay rent and wastes space. Final straw? When he sets up his Xbox in the living room. Wtf!

7. Slob-ka-bob
This girl is a hot mess. And I don’t mean the fun Lindsay Lohan kind. I’m talking dirty dishes and clothes everywhere. There’s no way you can walk through the apartment without tripping over something she’s left in the middle of the floor and you’re pretty sure she hasn’t emptied her garbage in months. Not to mention, she’s always “busy” on chore day and can’t be bothered to sweep, vacuum, scrub or wash anything. Ever. Gross.

6. Obsessively Clean Chick
On the flip side of the slob-ka-bob you have the psychotic neat freak. You put your glass of juice down on a coaster and go to the bathroom? Come back and it’s already sparkling clean and put away. Accidentally leave your keys on the counter? They’re hung up on the labeled key rack within moments. Sure, this seems great at first, but then when your roommate accuses you of being a slob-kabob just because you left the Cheezits box out ONE time after a night of hard partying, it starts to get annoying. Chill out, chica.

5. The Snoozer
Does this girl even take classes? She sleeps at all hours of the day and never seems to go anywhere other than her bed. She can barely push through 3 hours of the day without needing a nap.

4. The Red Light District Diva
Different guy every night. From the bar-randos to her consistent hookups, rarely will a weekend pass without some dude in bed with this girl. Not a big deal, right? Try sharing a bunk bed with a girl who gets more action than Vinny Chase. Ew.

3. The Hamburgular
She eats your food, drinks your Svedka, ‘borrows” your clothes and never replaces anything. Ever. When accused, she’ll make you feel like the crazy one. Don’t be fooled, those brand new Seven jeans just don’t “disappear.”

2. The Substance Abuser
It is one thing to drink on the weekends. It’s another to come home on a Tuesday night, drunk as a skunk and trying to keep partying. Not to mention, try living with a roomie who’s down with drugs. 24/7. And not just the “light” stuff. Do you really want a dealer in your living room at 3 AM? Lose this roomie nightmare immediately.

1. That Roommate
That roommate embodies all the above and so much more. We’ve all had them, fought with them, held their hair back when they vomited, bought food for two, housed their boyfriends, lived like it was the real life “Requiem for a Dream,” moved out, and swore we’d never live with someone like them again.