They Said What? 3 Reasons to Keep Your Roommate Drama Off Social Media
It doesn’t matter if you’re a student in college or living on your own, roommate issues are something we all have dealt and struggled with. Unless you have the best roommate in the world, at some point or other conflicts will arise, and depending on how it is handled, relationships can go sour.
Regardless of how bad the situation gets, one poor way to handle it is through social media. In an age controlled by technology, it feels natural to want to tackle your roommate problems by tearing them to shreds on Twitter or by posting an unflattering picture of them on Instagram. Though in the moment it may feel great, there are vast consequences and repercussions that follow a situation that is treated irresponsibly.
If you’re experiencing a rough conflict with a roommate and do not know how to handle it, I will be your guide! With my tips, you will not only avoid bringing your issues to social media but also gain different ways to solve your problems.
First, let’s tackle the reasons why you should avoid bringing your roommate drama into the world of social media.
1. Once it’s out there, it never goes away
I’m sure you have heard the idiom, “once you say something, you can’t take it back” and the same message applies to social media. Once you post a nasty tweet or a destructive picture, it’s out there for good – even if you take it down immediately after. You do not want your reputation to be based on one careless post you created when you were flustered, angered, and annoyed — keep that in mind!
In September of 2016, Penn State student Jessy noticed her current roommate, Nikki, tweeting about her (and not in a nice way). Jessy handled it by printing out Nikki’s tweets and posting them in the common area of her dorm floor on a bulletin board.
Daniel Funke of USA Today College commented on this situation stating, “she didn’t tell a resident assistant or try to talk about it. Instead, she did what any well-intentioned Millennial with a hunger for drama would do — print out each one individually and tape them up for the entire dorm to see.”
Not only were Nikki’s tweets used against her to humiliate her, but Jessy’s story went viral which meant everyone who wanted to see their drama, did. If you’re having roommate troubles, do not tweet about them or else your drama could be known around the globe.
2. Potential/current employers
Just like you do not want to be remembered as the mean person who blasted their roommate on social media for not cleaning the apartment or forgetting to put the toilet seat down, your employers do not want to see you as that person either. Though it may seem harmless in the moment, making a mistake like this does have consequences.
According to Amy McDonnell of careerbuilder.com, “60 percent of employers revealed that they use social networking sites to research job candidates. This is up significantly from 52 percent last year (2015), 22 percent in 2008, and 11 percent in 2006.”
As technology has become more ingrained in our society, employers and persons alike go to social networking sites to look further into your background to determine your eligibility as a candidate for their positon. Do not make the mistake of blowing Facebook up with rude posts, as it could cost you (literally)!
3. Consider the other person
No matter how bad of a situation you are in with your roommate, nothing is worth going to social media to vent about it. Consider the other person involved before you go into a tirade, and think about how your one post, picture, etc. could affect them. They, like you, have family, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends that love them and who would hate to see them tarnished over something big or small in that manner.
Also consider that your roommate may be employed and if their employer sees the drama circulating on their social media platforms, they may reconsider them as a worker. Even though you’re mad, you don’t want to make someone else’s life miserable, do you?
With the reasons not to bring your roommate issues onto social media being addressed, now let’s talk about two simple solutions to consider when handling your problem.
1. Talk it out
In this day and age, face to face talking may seem archaic; however, if there is an issue with your roommate, just bring it to their attention by talking to them yourself. If they have a gap in between classes where you know you can talk to them or if they have a free moment, take advantage of that opportunity and talk to them.
Ask them if there is anything you can do to make the living situation better and point out what they do that makes you stressed/angry. Remember, your roommate is a human too and just like you, I’m sure they do not want to cause unnecessary problems.
2. Talk to a family member or counselor
If you do not feel up to talking to your roommate just yet but feel that you need to vent about the situation, go to a family member or campus counselor to get their input on the situation. You know your family will give you their honest opinion and campus counselors are there to help you solve your problems, so when in doubt, go to them!
You can talk to friends as well, but I recommend family or counselors because I understand that sometimes friendships overlap into circles and talking to someone that may be friends with your roommate may make you uncomfortable. When in doubt, trust your gut!
Regardless of when you encounter a roommate problem or how many you have had, they are never easy to deal with. Always remember two golden rules from our childhood: think before you speak and if you do not have anything nice to say, do not say it.
Good luck — I wish you the best!