How to bond with your roommates in the cold.
This cold winter weather means we’ve all been spending more time inside than usual, and that might mean that you’re getting a bit of cabin fever in your current living situation. At this point, you’ve lived with your current roommate for almost six months and it’s time to check in. Maybe its going great and you just want to rekindle the friendship fire, maybe you’ve just hit a few bumps in the road, or maybe you are undeniably incompatible and must resort to communication via paper and pen, but whatever the case, the Indy is here to help. We’ve created a Roommate Mad-Libs Letter to solve all of your Roommate woes.
Dear Roomie,
I am ______ (so glad / will never understand why / unbelievably depressed) that we decided to live together this year! Ever since we met last year _______________ (in the Dining Hall, in the Lamont bathroom, on the dance floor) and bonded over __________ (Sunday sundaes /that strange, strange smell / your ability to twerk) I knew we were meant to be. I’m sure you’ve realized by now that things between us for __________ (these past few weeks / ever and ever) haven’t been _____________ (so bad /bearable in any way at all). And I realized that I haven’t had a chance to _____________ (tell you how great you are / yell and scream at you), so I thought I’d write to you because I figured it would be ______________ (sweet / undramatic / passive aggressive and evil). First of all, your new ____________ (dog / boyfriend) is causing me some ____________ (discomfort / intense and anger and frustration). Last weekend, when you were both in the room and you ______________ (exiled /sexiled) me so you could ______________ (play) I felt _______ (excluded / annoyed / allergic). We also need to workout the fridge situation. I know that you love _____________ (food / eating everything I ever buy ever / jello), but I would really appreciate it if you would ____________ (pay me back / just stop /move on to eating another food ). Lastly, there are noise problems we need to cover. When you ______________ (play music / sing / breathe) it really _______________ (bothers / infuriates / kills me). And I would therefore appreciate it if you would ______________ (turn it down / be silent always / never try out for American Idol / move out).
Wow this letter was so ___________ (great / cathartic / bitchy and necessary)! I’m so glad we had this talk! Let me know if I can ____________ (do anything for you / sell your pet / help you move your stuff out).
Love,
___________________ (Your Name)
Eloise Lynton ’17 (eloiselynton@college.harvard.edu) actually loves her roommates and is, in fact, not allergic to dogs.