By: Brigitte Berry
This year Algonquin students Trevor Goodyear and Lindsay Aubin both jumped into the uncertain world of living with a roommate. They were friends prior to making the decision and after nearly a year of living with each other, remain that way.
However, their first experience of living away from home has not always been a good one.
“I hate it,” said Aubin, second-year nursing student.
Goodyear and Aubin not only share their living space with each other, but four other boys as well.
For many students away from home for the first time, living with roommates can be a good – and bad – experience, sparked by relatively minor issues such as who does dishes.
“They do dishes,” chuckled Aubin. “However, they’ll dirty a bunch of things and they’ll leave them there for like five days. Then they’ll do them all,” she said.
“We don’t usually let them sit that long because Trevor and I get disgusted, so we’ll do them.”
And living in a house of six rarely affords Goodyear and Aubin the peace and quiet they need.
“There’s too much going on at once. You can never escape to a completely quiet place,” said Aubin.
Goodyear explained that his roommates often play music for long periods of time, and at unreasonable hours.
“It sucks when I’m trying to go to sleep,” said Goodyear. “If someone goes into the kitchen you hear them stomping like elephants and they play music at absurd times.”
Resident advisor Anna Paul is very aware of the trials of living with another person. As an RA she witnesses the dynamic of roommates on a daily basis.
“It is difficult moving to a new place and being placed with a stranger for eight months,” said Paul.
“People don’t always get along and conflict happens.”
According to Paul, it requires a lot of compromise. Both parties must be willing to cooperate and practice the skills required to solve problems.
However, Paul notes that it is not all about the disagreements and there are positive aspects as well.
“Residence is a great tool that gives students a bridge between living at home and being on their own. I think it is important to have a support system when they are learning the skills to live on their own and having a roommate gives you someone to grow with,” said Paul.
There are so many possible outcomes that one may experience when living with a roommate, whether positive or negative one thing is for sure: you will never know until you try.