Have you found the so- called perfect roomie?

Sandip.Bal@timesgroup.com

It’s easier said than done, say city students who live in private accommodations

But over and above the obvious merits, such arrangements have their demerits. One may have to share a room with complete strangers and building a bond takes time. Finding the right

roommate

sometimes becomes a Herculean task.

There’s nothing called a perfect roommate

A private

accommodation

and its share of ‘freedom’ tends to lose its charm pretty fast if you don’t get the right roommate. “I left one private accommodation where I had to share my room with a senior. She could hardly be called a perfect roommate. She wouldn’t cooperate on anything and sometimes came so late in the night that I had to stay awake to open the door for her. I was new to the city and didn’t know anything here. So, I decided to change quarters,” said Srotoswati Ray, an MA student, who hails from

Baripada

.

Babita Mohanty, a student of a private engineering college, told us that she preferred private accommodation because she had to attend several extra classes and involve in extra-curricular activities. She added that she had five roommates in past two-three months. “Some left for other places to stay with their friends. Then there was one roommate who was homesick and would cry every other day over the phone. It was really irritating,” she said, adding, “Then there is the never-ending tussle over the fan. I would feel hot, she would feel cold. I would want the fan to be switched on and she would not let me do so. That’s why I had to sleep in the hall on certain days.”

Roomies need to adjust

While staying away from home has its freedom, many students end up taking care of their roommates. Megha Parida, a student of

Utkal University

said she had a roommate who would depend on her for everything. “She would use my shampoo, deodorants and everything. She would not spend a single penny on anything. I ended up shelling out money for both of us. She would never buy anything for herself. Who would like such a roommate?” said Megha.
Even cultural differences play a role in not letting roomies bond. Someone coming from outside Odisha would not accept the local culture and vice versa. This creates problem for them. “I have seen people having problems with each other over trivial issues like food habits and whose food is better. Instead of trying to cooperate or adjust, they create issues and that affects them,” said Swasti Satpathy, a student of a private university.
It helps if the roommate is from same college

While the list of differences can be long, many students feel that if one’s roommate is a known person or from the same college, the level of acceptance increases. “I am sharing my room with a friend I am doing my Bachelor’s with. We know each other well, which makes it easier to adjust,” said Anu Das, a student of

Ravenshaw University

.

Even Srotoswati feels the same and added that if the roommate is from same college, you can leave at the same time and share the cab fare. “It’s always good to have a friend from your college as your

roomie

. You can share more time with each other and get to know each other well,” she said.

It’s best to set a few ground rules

While the hunt for the perfect roommate may be a Herculean task, students say that if some ground rules are set in the beginning, it makes life easier for both parties. “We have ground rules about a host of things like splitting the house rent and other expenditures. We have decided who would cook when and who would clean the washroom when,” said Swasti.