Editor’s Note: You’re getting ready to start school. If that isn’t enough stress, now imagine being paired up with a complete stranger with whom you must share a 200 square foot room for a year. As a dorm room occupant, you might as well kiss privacy goodbye and in some cases welcome conflict because, quite frankly, it’s inevitable.

However, in attempts to prevent conflict and lifestyle clashes, Sac State has implemented a roommate matching system. After filling out a survey on lifestyle preferences, from music and hobbies, to cleanliness and pet peeves, you can only hope to be paired up with a good match. Some are lucky enough to form lifelong friendships with their new roommate; others aren’t so fortunate.

Week one: when roommate matching goes wrong

I sat down with a Sutter Hall resident and college freshman that spilled the beans on his own roomie woes. For the sake of privacy, we will refer to him as Roommate A.

When asked about the effectiveness of the roommate matching system used at Sac State, Roommate A replied, “It doesn’t work at all. My roommate and I are complete opposites.”

From the very first uncomfortable moment the new roommates shared, it was apparent that the year would be full of confrontation and downright awkwardness.

It all started on move-in day, when Roommate A and his family visited in the dorm while awaiting the arrival of his new roommate. To the average person, this would have seemed like a warm and inviting atmosphere in which to get acquainted. However, Roommate B entered the room, put his belongings down without any eye contact and muttered an unceremonious “hey” before leaving the room.

As time passed, hopes that chemistry would improve seemed more and more far-fetched. Roommate A recalls another tension-filled instance, “With permission, I borrowed his scissors and the next day a letter was left for me, detailing how I use his things too much and demanding that I ‘pitch in’ on costs.”

For Roommate A, days full of awkward interaction led into sleepless nights because of loud snoring, farting, and even a few absurd encounters. During our interview, Roommate A revealed the most disturbing stories of them all.

“One night I rolled over and saw my roommate standing next to his bed, facing me, with his pants down. As soon as he heard me move, he pulled his pants up and quickly left the room. I already knew he was weird but this completely freaked me out.”

Unfortunately for Roommate A, things between he and his roommate continue to get stranger by the week. It is important to know, of course, that not all roommate matching ends up this interesting. However inaccurate roommate pairing is a risk everyone living the dorm life must take.

Send your dorm stories to [email protected]. “When roommate matching goes wrong” is merely the first door in five dorm halls full of drama that continues to unfold every day at Sac State.