By Carolyn Lund
When asked about difficult roommate situations, most students immediately start chuckling to themselves and say, ?I?ve got a good one!?
Then, they proceed to tell a story of how they suffered through a semester with the worst roommate imaginable.
?I had one roommate who had all this stuff he tried to sell me,? said Kelsey Bennett, 21, from Idaho Falls. ?He would try to get us to buy iPods and Gameboys ? stuff that we had never seen him use before. Then when we were moving out, we started noticing that some of our stuff was missing.?
While this may be an extreme example, most people can relate to having roommates that are not easy to get along with.
?Everyone does things differently,? said Kristie Schindler, 19, from Fredericksburg, Va. ?Communication is the biggest issue on the list.?
Schindler told of one roommate who accused others of stealing her food.
?She got to the point of writing her name on every single egg instead of just talking to us about it,? Schindler said.
Talking out problems is easier said than done, however. Some students insist that confronting each other about roommate problems is the best way, while others say that it is better to let the small annoyances slide.
Steve Edwards, 23, from Alberta, said that he has had no major roommate conflicts in all three years of living at BYU.
?Be flexible and easy-going,? Edwards said simply. ?Don?t let things bother you so much.?
Kory Sekakwaptewa, 23, from Orem, also said it is better to avoid confrontation if the issue is not big.
?If people throw their stuff around everywhere, that?s annoying,? Sekakwaptewa said. ?But just understand that everyone?s busy, so do your part.?
Amber Hinton, 19, from Logan, gave another suggestion for dealing with roommates. She said new roommates should come with open minds.
?One time I moved in with a random girl who introduced me to all her stuffed animals the first night,? Hinton said. ?She couldn?t sleep unless they were all in place.?
Some students come in with the perception that their roommate will become their best friend, while others think roommates should share rent ? and nothing else.
Michael Templeman, 22, from Toronto said new students not used to having roommates might be intimidated by contracts.
?It?s not like you ever have to stay,? Templeman said. ?Get to know the people living around you and then you can switch around if it?s not working out.?
If serious conflicts arise, The Center for Conflict Resolution is available to assist students in mediating problems. The center, located in 4412 WSC, offers free counseling and mediation services for students unable to solve problems on their own.
John Pace, the center?s manager, said most problems are caused by personality conflicts.
?Lack of respect or at least the perception of lack of respect is one of the biggest issues,? Pace said.
Before seeking outside help, Pace offered this advice to students: ?Sit down and listen to your roommates; be curious and try to understand them.?