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First semester, part 2
“I swear I don’t have a problem...” said my roommate when I woke up to see him enter the room at 4:20 in the morning. My roommate is a drunkard. You might be wondering what it’s like to live in a tightly knit community of strangers when you are far, far away from home. I am speaking of the dormitory experience.
Roommates
The first thing you have to have is an open mind. Having an open mind is vital to having an enjoyable experience. My roommate is a great guy, luckily, but we do have differences that we need to respect. And in a college dorm, respect is more important than ever if you want to have a smooth ride.
Then there’s another issue: the Evil Roommate. My roommate is not evil, just inebriated. But what if you go to college excited and open minded, and then get a roommate who hates people? Don’t go to the authorities yet. Remember that this is a person, (hopefully) capable of communication. Talk with this person. Address only the aspects of the person with which you are uncomfortable. And remember to tell him what you like about his personality.
As a college student who is forced to live in a dorm with other people, you have to communicate your desires clearly. For the sake of your sanity, please be straightforward. Trust me, it doesn’t help to be verbose. If you feel that you can’t communicate honestly with your roommate, see a housing mediator.
Here at University of Southern California, they’re called resident advisors. These people will try to mediate your case, hopefully with positive results. You could try to relocate, but I’ve heard it’s not fun to have to move all of your stuff mid-semester when you’re in the middle of midterms and the like. Point: if you can live with your roommate, do it. You don’t have to hang out with him or his friends; you just need to respect each other. Plus, maybe you’ll grow to like your roommate! Go to college with a positive attitude.
Time
There is another issue that may beleaguer you before you go to college: With all of this difficult college work, will you have any time for yourself? The answer is yes. I know that some of you are thinking that college will be like Animal House. Honestly, it can be. But do you want that? If you follow that path, you will be unable to keep up with your work and will not leave college with a diploma. But that doesn’t mean that you have to work 24 hours a day, either.
College is a matter of responsibility. You are responsible for yourself and yourself alone. You decide if you want to go to class. You decide if you should go see the doctor. The bottom line is that if you use proper time-management skills (don’t miss class, go to bed at a reasonable 2 a.m., schedule time to study), you will be able to party and still maintain your precious 4.0 GPA.
Class
As a high school student, you’ve probably heard a lot about college. For example: “College is so hard.” And: “In college, there are hundreds of people in your class.” These statements can be true, but they don’t have to be. Every college has different standards for class size. This is something that I highly suggest you research. If you really don’t like huge classes, then don’t apply to a school with 30,000 students. Research the atmosphere and if you can, visit the campus. You’ll thank yourself when you love the campus you choose.
College will be difficult
Your classes will be more in-depth and there will be more homework. Realize, however, that you will have a major or at least an idea of what you want to study. (If you don’t, I suggest you go to a two-year college and find out what you want to do before you spend big bucks on a four-year school.) That means that, although you also must take general-education courses, you will be studying material in which you have some interest. But don’t expect it to be a breeze; college prepares you for your career and adult life. At the end of the day, all is well.
Remember to manage your time properly. Stay involved with your professors; they’ll be writing your recommendations. Talk with your roommate; you shouldn’t judge. This is Mike Maturo, signing off ... with hopes that my roommate doesn’t talk so loudly at 4 in the morning. Article provided by 
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