Cedars, August 2018

August 2018 4 FRESHMAN ISSUE Top tips for a healthy roommate relationship by Breanna Beers W hen you first walked into your dorm and met your roommate, you may have had many initial reactions: “I really have to fit all my stuff into that?” “At least he/she smells OK.” “I wonder how hard it would really be to live out of my car?” Whether you knew your roommate before arriving at Cedarville or not, living in the same (very small) space as someone else requires an additional skill set beyond typical friendship. Every roommate relationship is different, but here are some general guidelines that certainly don’t hurt, and could help reduce some small part of your personal chaos this semester. Classes are more than enough to deal with on their own. 1. Be respectful. Odds are, you and your roommate will have your differences. You’re always up un- til 2 a.m.; she wants to be asleep by 11. He has a peanut allergy; you’re addicted to Re- ese’s. Whatever it is, both your lives will be greatly improved if you can agree to respect one another’s stuff, space and schedule. Don’t “borrow” your roommate’s snacks or clothes (at all, if possible; certainly not without asking nicely). Take care of your own messes and share the responsibility for keeping the room clean. Go elsewhere to finish studying if he or she is ready for bed. It’s essential to be adaptable and ready to listen — you have to be willing to make sacrifices if you expect him or her to do the same for you. 2. Be honest. This doesn’t come naturally to all personalities, but it’s crucial if you want to have a relationship with your room- mate that lasts beyond the first few weeks. It’s unavoidable that your roommate will have at least a few ticks and habits that rub you the wrong way, and while accept- ing and adapting to your differences is key, you must also be wary of building up simmering frustration and irritation. Ask questions rather than make assumptions. Your roommate may not realize what is bothering you; sometimes all it takes is saying something to cause a tiny change that makes a big difference. Equally, if not more essential, is your ability to take it with grace when your roommate turns the tables on you. Accept your roommate’s honesty with humility and appreciation rather than hostility and defensiveness, even when it stings. 3. Be friendly. Even if you don’t hang out at all out- side the room, you and your roommate are still going to have to at least coexist. Be- ing a decent human being will help make your year as painless as possible. It can be as simple as asking how his or her day was and being willing to pause long enough to listen to the answer. If that develops into a genuine friendship, even better — your constant proximity can push your natural enjoyment of one another to an even deep- er level of relationship. The more comfort- able you are around your roommate, the more your dorm room will begin to feel like home. 4. Be realistic. That said, it’s also OK if your first roommate doesn’t end up as your maid of honor or best man. While proximity and time can strengthen some relationships, it can weaken others. You don’t have to be best friends to live together well; in fact, some students find it helpful to have a de- gree of separation between their social lives and their living space. Ideally, you and your roommate will find a way to help each other thrive that works best for each of you. Don’t feel pressured to force a relationship in a way that doesn’t fit your unique situation and personalities. 5. Be kind. Whether you and your roommate click instantly, can barely stand each oth- er, or — most likely — lie somewhere in between, you’re still living together for a quarter of your 1,000 days here at Cedar- ville. So give your roommate a little grace, because by the end of your first finals week, you’ll probably be needing some yourself. Breanna Beers is a sophomore molecular and cellular biology major and an off-cam- pus news editor for Cedars. She loves ex- ercising curiosity, hiking new trails, and quoting “The Princess Bride” whether it’s relevant or not. by Shelby McGuire M eet your president and vice pres- ident of Student Government As- sociation for the 2018-19 school year: Ryan Smith and Clara Costello. Smith and Costello ran their campaign unopposed, and claimed their new titles at the SGA elec- tion chapel last February. During Smith and Costello’s campaign, posters, T-shirts and stickers could be spot- ted around campus sporting the slogan “Better Together.” Smith said this is more than just a slogan, calling it an “anthem of Christian community.” The vision for “Bet- ter Together” is for Cedarville University to be a community of believers doing life to- gether, coming alongside one another and encouraging each other in their faith in a deep and authentic way. “‘Better Together’ was born from our early discussions as a team,” Smith recalls from last year’s campaign. “The main pur- pose of SGA is to develop campus morale and foster community ... we wanted our campaign slogan to fulfill the purpose of SGA if we were elected.” “Better Together” means supporting all communities on campus, from encouraging students to join student organizations and discipleship groups to promoting campus events and building relationships in the dorms. SGA wants to encourage students to get involved and reach out in whatever ways they can to live better together as one Christ-centered community. Smith said the mission behind “Better Together” comes from principles in the Bi- ble; “God commands that the brothers and sisters live in harmony, and it is important that people join for the sake of accountabil- ity, encouragement and joy. We all have Illustration by Abigail Wisser SGA President and Vice President Cultivate a Campus Community that is ‘Better Together’