Dealing with a roommate

by Katherine Iglinski

For those of you who are just about finished your last year of high school, and are heading off to university in the near future, here is a little tip: be kind to your roommate, he or she will determine how enjoyable your first year is.

Even if you have shared a room with a brother or sister or had billions of your friends treat your room like their own personal hotel room, neither of these scenarios compares to the trials and tribulations of a university roommate. You cannot just threaten to beat him up if he refuses to shut up, or tell mom she has just ruined your favorite sweater, nor can you send your roommate home because he snores. Your roommate is there to stay, and like it or not, you need to find a way to handle the situation.

This is not to say that your roommate is likely to be some complete tyrant, whose sole joy in life is making your life miserable; in fact, chances are you and your new bunk bed buddy are likely to become the best of friends. But remember, the idea of sharing a room that is probably not much bigger than your bathroom with another person, is sure to make even the most agoraphobic individual a little uneasy.

So before the fits of rage, the hair pulling, and the toilet scrubbing with your roommate’s toothbrush begins, it might be advisable to sit down and talk to your roommate about your biggest pet peeves. After all, only about two percent of the population are mind readers, and chances are the person sharing your room is not one of them. This is not to say you need to give him a mile long laminated list of things that tick you off, but letting him know that you cannot stand his dirty underwear lying on your pillow is probably just what you need to do to keep your sanity. While we are on the topic of hygiene, let your roommate know what you consider a clean room to be; are you content to live with more clothes, books, and dishes on the floor than in the drawers? Standard of cleanliness is relative, so it is a good idea to let your roommate know where you stand along that spectrum.

One of the greatest benefits to having a roommate is that you have just potentially doubled the size of your wardrobe. Only problem is that if you want this to happen, you had better be prepared to allow your roomie to enjoy the same luxury of helping herself to whatever you own as well. So if you would prefer to keep your half of the closet roommate-free, perhaps you should also clue her in to this beforehand, and be prepared to offer the same courtesy.

Another ground rule that you should set before you drive each other crazy is your study habits, and it is generally best to handle this before the huge crunch time of caffeine driven minds and late night studying for final exams rolls around. Some people like to study with music, other people need total peace and quiet, while the rest prefer not to study at all. Although I do not recommend the latter choice, there is no right or wrong way to study, but if your study habits and even preferable time of studying is vastly different from your roommate’s, this is something for which the two of you will have to find some sort of compromise.

If working things out with your roommate about studying becomes a problem, you can always opt for the simple solution of packing up your books and heading off to the library with either a Walkman or a pair of earplugs in hand. The advantage of this solution is you get out of your room for a bit, which also means less distractions from random people stopping by for a chat. Also a little time away from the roommate will help to keep you from strangling him, especially during those major stress periods like exams.

Perhaps the best tip of all when dealing with any roommate trouble that might arise is remaining flexible and willing to compromise. Remember, half of that closet ... errrr, I mean room, does not belong to you, so do not try and dictate the entire room and everyone in it.

No matter what happens though, you are in for one of the most memorable years of your life.

It’s that time of year, when the lives of some are changed forever. With high school graduation just around the corner, graduating students will be leaving behind the only world they have ever known and entering the challenging, uncertain, yet exciting world of adulthood. It is a time to reminisce, say goodbye and good luck to school friends, and live in the moment, for soon enough, these magical days will fade into fond memories.

(l to r) Miika, Kaylin and Lars enjoying their last Prom at ISE since all three of them will be leaving at the end of this year, Miika will be graduating, and Kaylin and Lars are moving away with their families.

Students from the International School of the Eastern Seaboard celebrated this rite of passage with an unforgettable experience, their prom night at the Amari Orchid Resort, the school’s fourth annual prom.

(l to r) Kan, Naporn, Jenny, Bola, Young Gee, Mameow and Chatchai have their picture taken as a memory of the wonderful evening.

The theme for the evening was ‘Under the Sea’ and the Rim Suan room at the Amari was decorated with replicas of tropical fish, starfish, whales, sharks and seahorses.

ISE students from all levels of the secondary school were also invited to enjoy what is traditionally a night for Year 12 graduating students. Flowing gowns, evening dresses, and tuxedos filled the room, with a few being slightly more adventurous and dressing for the ‘Under the Sea’ theme.

Kan, Angela, Kristin, Bird, Yumi and Teurn, all dressed up, pose for a picture to keep as a memory.

Guests were presented with a welcome ‘mocktail’ upon arrival, and many took advantage of the pre-prom time to mingle and chat, trading stories of their years in school before moving “underwater” to the Rim Suan room for an extraordinary meal.

(l to r) Julia, Alex and Marianna arriving, a little late, for the evening. Mariana was celebrating her last Prom, as she will be graduating this year.

After dinner, raffle prizes were drawn and votes were cast for the prestigious title of Prom King & Queen. After much deliberation, the magical moment arrived; Chatchai was named Prom King and Daisy Vogt named Prom Queen. The two then danced in each other’s arms, a long held tradition that punctuates their moment in the spotlight. The King and Queen then led the remaining group to dance the night away, with the airs and graces of their well-deserved titles.

The High School sweethearts “Yuki and Yi Hao” pose for a picture while up on cloud No.9.

And although the night eventually came to an end, the memories will last forever.

Daisy and Chatchai enjoying the fame of being elected Prom King and Prom Queen.

ISE’s own Boyz Group: Kwang Soo, Sueon Young, Yi Hao and Jung Ook, some of the handsome guys in the High School smile for the camera.