When you head off to university as a fresher, there’s a good chance you’re setting off to live with people who aren’t in your immediate family for the first time ever. Scary, huh? Well, partly scary, but mostly exciting because, although you’re not looking forward to having to cook your own dinner, you’re definitely looking forward to the freedom living away from home brings.
But what if you don’t get on with one or more of your housemates? After all, university students come from all backgrounds, locations and walks of life and you could end up living with anyone.
University is stressful
Let’s face it, the university life of seminars, essays and assignments are stressful enough without coming home to more stress, but before you pack your bags and run off home to mum and dad, let’s have a look at what you can do if you don’t like your housemate.
Don’t panic
You probably didn’t realise when you moved into your all-inclusive student accommodation that it would include a really annoying housemate, did you? Nowhere in the small print did it say you’d be sharing your accommodation with someone you don’t even want to be sharing the planet with and now you can’t change your mind and get your deposit back.
Don’t panic though. Your housemate may be annoying now but perhaps you’ll get used to them. And even if you don’t, it’s normal to not like everyone but you are stuck living together for the time being so it makes sense to find ways you can make living in the same place bearable.
Don’t write them off too quickly
As I just said, perhaps you’ll get used to that housemate you’re not keen on. After all, we don’t always immediately like characters on TV programmes, movies or in books, do we? We may start off hating them but after a while, their good points come through and we see them in a different light.
With this in mind, try to get to know the housemate you’re clashing with and see if there’s any common ground you can bond over.
Talk about it
If your problem with your housemate is something concrete and not just a personality clash, invite them for a drink/cup of tea/lunch so you can let them know what it is that’s bothering you.
Issues such as loud music, stealing food,not pulling their weight with the chores or having their partner stay over too often, may well easily be resolved with a friendly chat.
If the problem is purely a personality clash and you can’t stand to be in the same room as each other, then at least get things out in the open and agree to be civil to each other to keep the atmosphere pleasant for everyone else.
Seek help
If your housemate is making you unhappy to the extent that you can’t stand living in the same place as them, speak to your university to see what can be done. You won’t be the first student in this predicament so don’t hesitate to seek help and support.
You’re going to be at university for at least three years and doing a degree is stressful enough as it is, without having more stress incurred by your living situation. It’s usually only for the first year where you’re lumped in with people you don’t know and after that, you’ll probably go on to share a house with friends you’ve made (unless you win the lottery and can buy your own house). Until then though, the more harmonious your living situation is, the better.
Leave a Reply