If you think your RA will automatically step in and solve your roommate problems, think again!  Keep in mind that your RA is human.  You should expect him/her to listen without judgment, remain neutral, and refer you to another person such as a counselor or academic advisor if the situation is beyond his/her skills.

But you can make that really hard to do if you're not being cooperative or reasonable. If you're demanding or refusing to go through the normal channels (including talking to your roommate), you'll end up with two enemies instead of one. These are the top ten ways to get on your RA's bad side:

 

1.   Get as many people involved in your situation as possible by gossiping to friends and floormates and encouraging them to take sides.

 

2.   Have your parents become overly involved by calling the RA, Hall Director, and Area Coordinator and insisting that something be done immediately.

 

3.   Decide that you're moving out and start making plans before you even talk to your RA.

 

4.   Absolutely refuse to compromise.

 

5.   Avoid talking in person by only communicating through IM and e-mail.

 

6.   Say, "Nothing," or "Everything's fine," when your RA asks what the problem is, then complain behind his back.

 

7.   Don't even talk to your RA, go right to the Area Coordinator, or worse yet the College President.

 

8.   Accuse your RA of favoring your roommate and masterminding the conspiracy against you.

 

9.   Expect your RA to fix the problem and assume you won't have to do a thing.

 

10.   Tell your RA that your roommate, "looks at me funny," and expect him to know exactly what you mean.

 

 

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