Unlike many students who think living on their own will be the best experience of their lives, Melissa Moen said the chaos of living with a filthy roommate left her wanting to move back home.

For Moen, a junior in advertising from East Peoria, having a roommate was a living nightmare.

Moen did not know her roommate before moving into an apartment with her, so Moen assumed that all living responsibilities would be equally divided between them.

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Moen said she was in for a surprise when she found out that her roommate would not wash dishes or

clean up after herself.

“I finally got fed up with the mess,” she said. “I picked up everything of hers, including dirty dishes, empty cigarette packs and shoes, and I threw everything into a garbage bag. Then, I stapled a nice little note [on the bag] stating that next time I would throw it all away. I tossed it all on her bed.”

Moen went to an extreme in dealing with her roommate, and admits there are better ways to handle roommate problems.

“You have to learn to compromise with your roommate,” she said, “or else both of your lives will be a living hell.”

The lack of compromise is not the only serious problem that may arise between roommates. Another issue is money and financial responsibility.

“She wouldn’t pay the bills, and her phone bill alone was over $100,” Moen said. “So the rest of my roommates and I decided to place a code block on the phone so she would not be able to place long distance calls from the apartment.”

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On the other hand, many students have their parents pay their bills, or they reside in University Housing.

Living expenses at University Housing are all on one bill rent, utilities, and food.

And many of the students living in University Housing have problems with roommates as well.

Steve Kirk, assistant director of University Housing, said there are many ways to deal with a disagreeable roommate.

“If you find you are not getting along with your roommate, talk to the resident assistant. They are trained to handle such conflicts,” Kirk said. “Always try to make it work before suggesting a space change.”

But Moen’s current roommate, Michelle Goodwin, a junior in athletic training from Bloomingdale, said talking to her resident assistant was not successful, and it did not prevent them from getting into brawls.

“While staying in Mae Smith [Hall], my roommate and I always got into fights,” she said. “We even got into a physical fight once over something stupid.”

If a situation with a roommate does cause high emotions and conflict, Kirk said there are ways to change room assignments.

“We’re happy to change space if the conflict continues,” Kirk said. “The only stipulation is that you have to find your own space to move into, and finding an empty bed can be difficult.”

Moen said trivial problems are usual sources of conflicts between roommates. But after finding a roommate and a best friend in Goodwin, she said that the prospect of living with roommates should not be something students should dread.

“Not all roommate assignments turn out badly,” she said. “It is very possible you will meet your best friend in the dorms or in an apartment. You have to work together.”

And even if the idea of working together falls apart, Goodwin said to remember that not all relationships are set in stone.

“I guess the only advice I can give someone who hates their roommate is to just take it day by day,” she said. “Some days are worse than others, but remember the situation cannot last forever.”