Moving away to uni and living in halls means mixing with the best (and worst!) of your generation. Here are just some of the types of roommates you can expect to encounter”…
For most people, heading to uni and moving into student halls is their first experience of living away from home, so it’s not always going to be pretty and you’re going to learn a LOT about each other, and yourself, living in such close proximity!
For me up here in mighty Leeds, while I haven’t been lucky enough to meet all of these types of roommates as yet, here are some typical examples of roommates I think you can expect to get acquainted with…
1. The messy one
You’re not even sure if they’re ALIVE in their room, such is the state of the rare glimpse you get into their dungeon. It’s only for the occasional rustle (you sure that’s not a rodent?) and the mountains of laundry exchanged (washed by mum, of course) that you’re not overly concerned for their welfare. You are, however, concerned about the pile of their stuff that has spread in to the communal area and appears to be growing…
2. The homesick one
You know the type. They moved up from a small village where everyone knows everyone, to a big city like here in Leeds, and they’ve suddenly realised that life back home wasn’t so bad after all. Big news back in the village was if someone bought a different newspaper to their usual in the village shop. You can usually find this roommate on the phone plotting their next escape back home, or just chatting to their parents at 10pm. In bed. Every night.
3. The nocturnal one
Ahh, this roommate is a classic. This guy is on a different time zone to everyone else they live with. You’re not even sure if they’ve ever attended a lecture. You’ll either bump into them as you head to the toilet during the night, or as you’re heading into your first lecture and they’re just rolling home… what stamina!
4. The scrounging one
Pretty sure there’s one of these in every halls of residence. They’ve got enough cash to buy themselves a pizza after a night out (and won’t share it), but when it comes to chipping in for stuff together or getting a round in at the bar, they’re skint and need to borrow cash. You’re cooking dinner (pasta, naturally) and the scrounger mopes along looking STARVED. They pinch a teabag every so often, cadge a toilet roll, or laundry tablet from you (laundry tablets count as currency you know.) Sadly, there’s more chance of Lady Gaga going to church than you ever being repaid for whatever is ‘borrowed’.
5. The totally-up-for-it one
Err, not like that! This roommate will go along to the opening of a cupboard if it means being seen as sociable. The sociable roommate is pretty cool though, even if they do invite everyone back to yours after a night out and scoff ALL your biccies.
6. The hosting one
Much like the previous social roommate, except this roommate loves nothing more than to invite everyone back to his or her room and keep the party going – wahey! This type of roommate can usually be identified by the abundance of beanbags and inflatable beds, ready for impromptu sleepovers. The host was easily the most popular person back at school and has no intention of giving up that status at university.
7. The prim and proper one
Jolly good, yah? When one of my current roommates unpacked a pink polka-dot teapot AND matching teacup set I knew we might be in trouble. I’m at uni, not my nan’s! And no, I’m not drinking tea (ahem, actually it turns out I am a tea drinker and I LOVE it, but you know…) I don’t have a teacup, I have a mug. AND it’s got a chip in it. I point blank refuse to accept the doilies or the apron in the kitchen. She’s even put a net curtain up on her bedroom window now. I’ll keep you posted on this one…
8. The connected one
This type of roommate most likely knows at least 10 other people in other flats around your halls. They all moved up from the same hometown and hang out together at every opportunity. Yeah dude! So why did they decide to move somewhere new in the first place if they weren’t bothered about meeting new people? Puzzler.
9. The one most likely to get scurvy…
Seriously, one of my friends here in Leeds knows a guy in halls who lives off porridge oats and buys them in those industrial sized bags they used to take to sea for sailors. He eats porridge for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Oats-so-good or what? Hmmmmmm, he might be the first person on dry land to EVER get scurvy.
