Roommate Relations: The D.I.C.E. Approach

By Sarah Alvarez, Account Executive 

During my junior year, I decided to switch my major from pre-nursing to public relations.  Oh no. The switch required me to get to know new faculty and add one more year of classes and internships. That also meant one more year of roommates. 

Although my public relations coursework is geared toward my professional future, it first taught me the effective communication skills I use now to strengthen my roommate relationships. 

I had to quit being a passive-aggressive, petty roommate and actually communicate. So, I compiled these four public relations concepts that can be applied in a personal setting. It is time to use the D.I.C.E. approach in roommate relations. 

Damage control: PR majors are prepared to deal with crisis.  So whether your significant other just broke your heart on Facebook, or someone snapped a not-so-flattering photo of you this weekend, we can help put a positive spin on your personal problems. 

Image management: Professional communicators are constantly networking online, but also are aware anyone can gain access to these public forums, so we’ll never talk trash online or behind your back. 

Communication: We want to communicate for a living, so if your dishes are dirty we’ll approach you about it nicely instead of leaving a snooty note or hastily cleaning them ourselves. 

Extra eyes: No time to edit that term paper? Having a writer around means there is always an extra set of eyes available to help proofread your paper before it is submitted. 

Being a PR major means you’re learning to communicate better personally and professionally, and it will definitely help you avoid sticky roommate situations.