The thought of sharing a room with anyone itself is like a roller coaster ride. And having an annoying roommate can be very stressful sometimes. Once in a lifetime, you will be going to share a room with a roommate. You will find them in the hostel room of your college, your renting apartment you took for the job. Or sometimes on vacation with your friend.
So, have you ever had a roommate who is nothing but a liability on your shoulders? If yes, then how did you manage to handle them? Or what steps have you taken to make them do works according to you? Talking about the types of roommates, there are many, you will see!
Some are very responsible. They will do all the household work themselves and never complain about it. Cooking is their specialty, and if you get one, you are so much blessed. Because it’s hard to find a roomie who is an expert in the kitchen, or should I say, ‘master chef’? You are never going to sleep empty stomach.
“The Taker!”
Do you ever struggle to find the new shirt that you purchased recently and in urgency to go out on dinner with beautiful Senorita? But then you found that it’s your roommate already wearing it without taking your permission. Yes, who checked your wardrobe and took that shirt without your consent.
Feeling furious? You should be. At least if he likes it, he should ask for your permission. Right? These types of roommates are really annoying.
The next type of roommate is it’s just the opposite of a responsible roommate.
“The Irresponsible Roommate!”
This type is not your roommate; he is a child in an adult body you have adopted for the time you live with him. You are going to take care of him. Because expectations from this irresponsible person are going to be like playing flute in front of a cow. You have to watch out for deadlines for all the bills, buying groceries, and do cleaning all alone. It’s like doing two jobs while your roommate is going to Netflix and Chill. He has no urgency to do any work because they know he will do everything.
“The Eater!”
No, it’s not the death eaters from the harry potter movie.
They are the ones responsible for your empty bowl. Ever wonder bringing a full bowl of snacks, and for just 2 minutes you got away from your table because a parcel has just arrived at your door. And after receiving the courier, you came back and found that your bowl full of snacks is empty, your very sleeping panda roommate is snoring on the sofa. This is not a coincidence. He ate it all. These roommates also have a problem with cleaning the utensils. These are clues that you have an eater in your house.
Let’s find out what one can do to resolve all the conflicts you might be having with your annoying roommate:
How to Deal with Annoying Roommates?
The best approach to deal with annoying roommates is to communicate with your roommates empathically and kindly. A good way is to try not to be confrontational without sensitivity. Talk in person whenever possible, and don’t use texts, emails, Snapchat, or Facebook messages to discuss any issues you might be having with roommates. Avoid passive communication, and set boundaries.
The Walking-Talking Method:
The first thing is to confront the issue. Whether it’s about a dirty room, privacy invasion, not taking responsibility, not listening to your thoughts, don’t get frustrated by things that they are not doing; instead, talk it out and make them walk away from you. Taking a step back can be very helpful in understanding the situation.
Avoid Passive Communication:
If you are really annoyed by your roommate, make sure not to start bitching about them on their back. It will only ruin your own reputation. Try to talk about the issues you are having with your roommate in front of them or directly. Could you not include the third person in it? You two are sharing a room, not them. Sometimes things get really ugly when a third person gets involved. Try not to do that.
Don’t Fight Over Food:
If you wanted to eat something which you like, then tell your roommate in advance. People usually don’t share thoughts about the food they want to eat and eat it from outside. The food roommate made is going to be wasted, and war will begin. And if you find that your food is disappearing, then label it with your name. Set a calendar that will cook on a particular day, maybe trying a rotation system.
Set Boundaries:
After living at home in comfort, sharing a room can be difficult for college students. Here they can set boundaries to live peacefully. By talking about your privacy and sharing responsibility, you can surely handle an annoying roommate. Make a responsibility to-do list. That who is going to do the cleaning and who is going to make food, who will wash utensils and who will wash clothes. This practice divides the responsibilities, and no one will feel the burden. Set some rules related to household works. If anyone fails to follow them, they will have to give a fine.
Keep Repeating:
If your roommate is not listening to your words, keep repeating them until it’s done. If he is annoying you, stop getting annoyed start annoying them instead. Make them feel how you feel, be aggressive, but not physically. One day they will surely understand and start taking charge of their responsibility.
Have an Agreement:
Making an agreement paper and getting it signed with the details of responsibilities can help handle annoying roommate. From the kitchen to cleaning, create an agreement for everything, about electricity bills and other bills. Make sure everything is equally divided into agreement paper. It is a great weapon against an annoying roommate.
Be Ready and Know When to Move Out:
Moving out is not made for only bad relationships. It is also considered for changing the roommate or changing the room. When everything you try to change your roommate’s behavior and nothing works out. You need to change your room now. You are not entitled to hold back for too long and to get used to his annoying behavior. You can move away.
There are so many other roommates, who are also in this world, and their characteristics could be anything. Their type is not limited to those I mentioned; these are only a few of them. But if you are also feeling frustrated by your roommate, he can be one of these types.
I hope you will find a good and responsible roommate.
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