R-E-S-P-E-C-T(enants)

“There’s a spanner in the works, you know–

you gotta step up your game and make it to the top, so go.

Got a little competition now.

You’re gonna find it hard to cope, livin’ on your own.”

“Something Good Can Work” – Two Door Cinema Club

 

As a living, working, off-campus adult, you’re responsible for your own progress, from the academic and professional to the health-related. In many cases, you might be doing a great job–you schedule time for homework, go to bed at a reasonable time, etc. But if things go askew, it might begin to seem like it’s the distractions, the other people, that guide you off course. It’s easy to get irritated at housemates in particular, with whom you share space and who are therefore extremely influential on your personal environment. But I urge you to keep in mind that they are people, too, not mindless cogs with the sole purpose of inconveniencing you and disrupting your sanctuary.

Though it might sound redundant, it’s incredibly important to be receptive of the way one is received. I’ll give you an example.

One of my housemates is from India, and therefore he must accommodate a wide time difference in order to talk to his family. That being said, it’s crucial that I respect what might seem like inconveniently-timed phone calls, considering these circumstances.

This applies to just about every situation. Housemate talking to themself? They might need to rehearse a presentation or memorize vocab. Roommate being quiet? Maybe they’re trying to read an important article or are trying to sleep.

People don’t often do things just to do them. Yes, all I can currently hear is the screeching of a metal spoon on a metal pan, but hey, maybe my housemate didn’t want to dirty another dish and is eating right out of the pan. I can stand behind that. He’s saving water and labor, and the noise will end soon.

But just as that racket ended, my other housemate came home with his girlfriend, both of whom were talking and laughing loudly. One of them was even singing. However, upon some investigation on my part, I found out that she lives in another state and they rarely see each other. My bitterness soon dissipated.

Every action has a reason, and once you begin to recognize that, it’s arguably easier to be aware of your actions’ purpose and (eventually) weed out those that don’t have one. At the end of assumptions comes understanding.

I feel like this Two Door Cinema Club song illustrates the initial rivalry that might exist among housemates, all of whom have priorities that are bound to differ and cause friction from time to time. However, as the title suggests, “something good can work.” Keep an open mind (because they probably think the same things about you).