When I arrived on campus, I had no idea who my roommate was or whether we’d get along.
OK, that’s a lie. Thanks to the magic of Facebook, I knew what he looked like and what some of his likes and dislikes were. But I had no idea whether or not we’d get along.
I only knew a few people who were going to MSU, I certainly didn’t know any of them well enough to want to be their roommate. I decided to let the university figure it out for me and hoped for the best.
Now, six months later, I wouldn’t change a thing. My roommate and I get along well, and we even went to Detroit to see the MSU vs. Michigan hockey game a few weeks ago. It was a great experience and one I would not have had without going in blind.
People seem to lose perspective when it comes to roommates. A lot of people I’ve talked to seem to think you have to be best friends with your roommate and you can’t fight about anything. That’s simply not true.
My roommate and I are different, but that doesn’t stop us from getting along. We’re not necessarily that close, and we might occasionally disagree, but we resolve disputes and move on. Minor arguments are only as big as you let them become.
Another way to think about going in blind is that you’re just being given an opportunity to broaden your horizons. Suppose you had a reasonably close friend that came to MSU with you, and the two of you decided to room together. Naturally, you’ll want to spend time together, but you might miss out on getting to know someone else. Maybe that someone else is from outside the U.S. and could teach you about a culture other than your own. Maybe that someone else could become your best friend or introduce you to the love of your life.
That being said, even if you don’t really like your roommate, it isn’t as though you have to spend your time at MSU chained to them. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to avoid your roommate if you’re motivated enough. And, it is possible to switch and try again with someone else. It’s not the end of the world.
So although going in blind might seem scary, it’s not really that bad. It’s important to remember that your roommate is flying just as blind as you are. You’re probably both equally nervous about meeting each other. There, now you have something in common. Now you can talk to each other.
The rest is up to you.
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