Living with a roommate is not always the easiest thing to do, and in some cases, turn out to be fatal.
At the University of Arizona, tensions between roommates Mia J. Henderson and Galareka Harrison started with a report of stolen property.
They ended on Sept. 8 when Harrison allegedly stabbed Henderson.
Although these incidents are rare, they are a reminder of what can happen when roommate conflicts aren’t dealt with properly.
Texas A&M University-Commerce doesn’t have an official policy for dealing with roommate conflicts, and changing rooms is sometimes a difficult process.
“If you’re stuck how can you cope?” Marty Marsh Jacobs, a counselor at the Texas A&M University-Commerce counseling center said. “We stress ourselves out.”
However, the campus University Police Department (UPD) does have some suggestions for students who live on campus with roommates.
“My first advice for someone having issues with a roommate report it to the resident advisor or hall director where they are at,” Jason Bone, crime information officer for the UPD said via email. “They are good resources and can often give helpful advice before things get out of hand.”
The counseling center, located on the second floor of the Student Services building, offers help to all students but is often times not often utilized.
Although it may be tempting, Jacobs also said that blasting off at a roommate isn’t the answer either.
“The first question I ask is, have you talked to them?” Jacobs said. “So many times people hang on to what’s bothering them. How you tell your roommate is important. People get defensive if you point the finger.”
The counseling center also has flyers that offer advice for dealing with stress and resolving conflicts.
Jacobs recommends the book, “My Roommate is Driving Me Crazy” by Susan Fee. Although the campus library doesn’t own a copy, excerpts can be found at amazon.com and the book itself can be purchased for under $10.
When problems arise in residence life at the University, as long as the issues are reported, they are promptly addressed.
“First a resident assistant will try to talk to both roommates about the conflict, the resident assistant will facilitate a meeting between the roommates and try to get them to understand each others point of view and reach a compromise on the situation,” Hayley Jobe, assistant director for residence life said via email.
Another suggestion offered was to give the problem a little space.
“I’d probably leave,” undergraduate Crystal Rayfield said. “Go over to a friends house and clear my head.”
Maintaining a positive attitude is also sometimes helpful.
“We don’t have a lot of conflicts,” undergraduate Jeremiah Hastings said. “A sense of humor is good.”
According to Bone, if any student feels a crime has been committed, or they feel unsafe they should call UPD immediately.