Let’s face it: we don’t always mean exactly what we say. So what do you do when you start to get to know your roommate and you’re not sure if what he or she is saying is legit — or if they actually mean something else? Here, we’ve made a quick translation guide to common roommate sayings and their real meanings.
“I’m definitely a night owl”
I hate to tell you this but — you’re probably going to be in for a lot of very late nights. If your roommate admits to you within the first couple minutes of meeting you that they like to stay up late, that’s pretty much a warning that you shouldn’t be expecting them in bed before midnight. If this doesn’t work for your schedule, figure something out sooner rather than later so you don’t become a very sleepy (and unhappy!) morning person.
“Can I borrow your…[insert item here]?”
This is a tricky one. Depending on how well you know your roommate, “borrow” might actually mean “keep until you forget about it so it becomes mine anyway.” I don’t mean to sound cynical here, but the fact is if people aren’t used to sharing they might get into some bad habits like taking rather than borrowing your things. Start small on this one: if they can borrow a pen and give it back you can probably trust them enough to lend them a hand every once in a while. But, if you find your things tend to go “missing” every once and a while then lender beware.
“Does the cheese come before or after the macaroni?”
This is a surefire sign of a kitchen disaster. If your roommate asks questions about boiling water or if metal can go in the microwave, you need to give them a crash course in culinary skills stat. It could be a fun bonding moment to make dinner together in the kitchen — and it can prevent a potential fire alarm incident.
“I so do not want to study for this test tomorrow”
There are two ways this can go based on context. If this is said when your roommate is surrounded by flashcards and notebooks, then it’s a sign your roommate needs a break and is hoping you will cause said distraction. If this is said while your roommate is on his or her laptop watching a marathon TV session this is a sign your roommate needs a very large shove toward the library. Be that shove.
— By Laura Sestito
> For more tips on living with roommates, read this article: The 411 on college roommates.
