Roommates and Pets

Freedom is a large part of going away to college, and this freedom should indeed be celebrated. There's no more curfew, no more parental nagging (at least in person), and no more "because I said so". However, this doesn't mean that life suddenly becomes a free for all either. In going away to college and being on your own, there are new responsibilities that come up and they must be handled in a mature way or things will start to fall apart.

For starters, just because tour parents paid for your dorm and meal plan doesn't mean that life is suddenly 100% carefree. Aside from the obvious responsibility you have to get your own homework and studying done, chances are you have a roommate or three. Having roommates is a responsibility in and of itself, and if you want to keep yourself from being alienated or having a bad reputation for being messy, annoying, or just unsanitary, you want to make sure you take responsibility where you need to.

In a dorm, cleaning is the number one responsibility shared between roommates. Just because there is no one to force you to "do your chores" doesn't mean that there aren't chores to be done. Clean/organized rooms promote good concentration, so in order to keep yourself and your roommates in good focus, keep your side of the room as neat as you can. Realistically, there will be days when you're too tired to do anything but dump your clothes on the floor and pass out, but just don't make it a habit and you'll be fine.

In an apartment, things get even trickier. In addition to shared chores (like keeping dishes clean so the apt doesn't get bugs and taking out the trash), there are bills to pay. Splitting bills like electric and cable, with roommates save money, but be careful how you split them.

True Story: I lived in an apartment with 2 other girls. I am rather skinny, so I don't like the air blasting or I get freezing cold. However, my roommates kept the air down at 69 degrees nearly constantly, causing me to have to wear a sweater all the time in my own house. I didn't like it, but I didn't want to make them uncomfortable. However, when the bill came, problems came with it. They demanded an equal split of the outrageous $350 bill, and I refused. I did not contribute even close to 1/3 of the energy useage. However, in the end, in order to keep the peace, I paid...and this was how it was every month. I got the short end of that deal, so from my experience, my advice is to discuss energy useage before the first bill arrives. That way, you are somewhat covered to back up your “But I only contributed this much” argument. I wish I’da had that.

Another thing about responsibility: Just because you’re on your own, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to overextend your freedom. What do I mean by this? PETS. It is usually not, I repeat, NOT a good idea for college students to get pets, and I say this as a college student who owns 3 cats. It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to own pets, and chances are, your parents aren’t going to help you with these adorable responsibilities.

If you really want a pet that badly, here are some tips:

Do not get a puppy. I know they’re cute and cuddly, but their poo isn’t. Most puppies, especially those bought at a puppy store, are not housetrained. It takes considerable time and energy to housetrain a puppy, and if you don’t have the time to give, or the money to pay someone to do it for you, all you’ll end up with is a minefield of feces to clean up everyday when you get home from class. And if you have roommates, this is a serious deal-breaker.


Keeping dogs in tiny student apartments is unsanitary for you and your roommates, and it’s not fair to the dogs who need room to run around. If you can’t wake up every morning at 6am with a smile on your face to walk your dog, and spend at least 3 hours a day playing with them outside or in a large room, you should not get a dog.

Cats are easier, but you still have to make sure they are fed and loved, and with a full class schedule, possible work schedule, and the free time you like to spend at the clubs and catching a movie with some friends, they can turn into a burden more than a cute little companion. It shouldn’t be that way. Animals, caged or otherwise need attention more than anything, and if you don’t’ have the time or energy to give them, it’s not fair to them to buy them in the first place.

Not to mention your roommates. ABOVE ALL ELSE, make sure your roommates are ok with your pet purchase before hand!!!! More than that, make sure you are respectful of your roommates space and health at all times. If your roommies are allergic to animals, don’t get one or wait until you are living alone. Make sure you keep all litterboxes and cages clean and stink-free, and if your pet has an accident, clean it immediately. If you are gone all day and your pet isn’t, make sure the dog or cat is confined to an area where your roommates won’t have to deal with any messes. The kitchen is NOT a good place to keep pets that may defacate or urinate on the floor. That is in fact the worst place.

True story: Those same roommates I lived with bought two puppies right before I moved in, promising me they would house train them. I agreed, which was dumb on my part, because they insisted on training them themselves, and I should have known it would be harder than they realized. There is nothing more aggravating than to wake up at 7:30am on a Sunday morning because the dogs won’t stop barking at something, head to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal and find the kitchen covered in dog messes. Oh and on the way to the kitchen, you happened to notice that one of the dogs pooed on your elliptical machine. Nice. Oh and when I complained about living in unsanitary conditions like that, and having to clean up the messes they left after going to work cause I didn’t want my cat to step in it or even eat it (ew), I was basically shrugged off, called a B*tch, and told that my headache was Karma. Nice. Very Nice.

It doesn’t need to be like this. Having a pet may seem like fun, but they aren’t any fun when you’re constantly cleaning up after them, stressing about waking up early to take them for walks, and making enemies with your roommates as a result.

Responsibility is a part of life at every stage, but just because you are on your own doesn’t mean you should begin racking up responsibilities. Pets are great and apartments are fun, but make sure you know what you’re getting into before you ruin friendships and the carpets underneath them.