By Ashley Yenick, Student at Merrimack College

It’s extremely awkward and difficult to be in a situation like this. Your roomie’s hooking up and you’re left all alone and stuck in awkward limbo.

Do you interrupt them? Do you wait outside the door? What do you do?

Don’t worry, at some point or another, we’ve all been there before and we know exactly how you feel.

Your Room Size

First things first, do you live in a suite, a double, or a triple? If you live in a suite, you can definitely try and escape to your other roommates’ bedrooms and chill there until your roomie has her way with her Romeo. Or you can hang out in the common room and catch up on some of your favorite shows.

If you live in a double, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there, too. Is there a friend that you can hang out with until your roomie’s done? Or is your RA’s door open? Are you on a comfort level that you can hang out with them? Can you go to a friend’s room and have a sleepover to avoid the awkward run-in later if you don’t want to go back in your room?

If you live in a triple and your other roommate that you’re living with is by herself as well, you’re in luck! You two can hang out together! Does your dorm have a common area that you can watch TV in? Do you both have a mutual friend that you can both hang out with? Having another person in your situation is perfect because it eliminates two things: being in an awkward situation and being by yourself.

If it’s During The Day

If your roommate is having her fun during the day, you can call some friends up and hang out, go to the mall, have a study party or go to the movies. Maybe there’s even an event on campus that you can check out like a new comedian or a barbecue. Chances are, there’s bound to be something to do on campus!

If it’s During The Night

If your roommate is hanging out with her potential boyfriend during the night, make sure that you both communicate before he comes over. What I mean is, have her text you when she’s done doing whatever so you know the coast is clear to return back to your humble abode. At the end of the day, you share that room together, so just make sure that you both establish some sort of rules for hooking up.

All in all, this situation can be completely avoided if you have a gameplan. At this point during the semester, if this ever happens, talk to your roomie and establish some rules together. Whether it’s during the week or on the weekend, make sure that you both understand each other’s situation. This way, you can both enjoy your time at your school!