So, You’re Living With A Stranger?

7 OUT-OF-THE-BOX WAYS TO GET TO KNOW YOUR ROOMMATE

Let’s begin with a poem:

Who is your roommate?
A sly snake, a beefcake?
Maybe, your best mate.

Trying to bond with your new roommate can be daunting, so here are some activities to break the ice a bit better than just regular shmegular get-to-know-you games.

1. Cook A Ridiculous Meal

Remember that one episode of iCarly when they made those iconic spaghetti tacos? Here’s your chance at trying that epic recipe. If you don’t know what that is, that’s okay. All you need are hard-shell taco tortillas, spaghetti noodles, sauce, and meatballs to top it off. Another odd recipe you could try from an olden day cookbook is the ham and banana hollandaise dish! Yep, I know, gross! Search online for more wild recipes.

2. Build a Lego Set Together

This one’s for the nerds at heart, or at least for those creative and hands-on folks. You can obtain many kinds of Lego sets from places like your local Walmart or a thrift/bargain store like Goodwill. Bonus if you get a set with all the pieces!

3. Go on a Hike at Hoffman Hills

This state recreation area located on 740th Street in Menomonie is open daily, but consider going on a morning hike to get some crisp fresh air and possibly catch the sunrise from the tower. That would be a sight to see!

4. Visit a Graveyard

This one is creepy, but think of all the emo poetry you could write together using the environment as a prompt. Honestly, these are great spots for picnics or chillin’ in the car eatin’ some Micky D’s. There is a good one known as Evergreen Cemetery, which happens to be on an island! Just go left at Culver’s like you are heading out of town and keep going until you see the sign.

5. Ride the Campus Bus for its Whole Route

Seeing Menomonie from a bus is a free sightseeing opportunity you and your roommate can experience together. Take the community route, which lasts about an hour, or for a quick adventure, the campus route, which is about 10 to 15 minutes. For added fun, play I Spy, spot the squirrel, or even challenge each other to talk to a stranger and get to know their story along the way. The campus and community route schedule can be found on UW-Stout’s website.

6. Make a Dorm Fort

Engage your inner child by gathering as many blankets as possible and draping them over the bunks to create a radical blanket building. Add throw pillows and maybe some Christmas or LED lights for some extra flavor.

7. Document the Life of Some of the Campus Squirrels

Speaking of squirrels, they are quite intriguing creatures. You can find them in pretty much any trash bin near your local dorm. Capture the story with pics and video and narrate it.

After all those funky ideas, let us end with yet anotherpoetic piece:

Dorm life is already a bore,
and trying to tend to a roommate is kind of a chore,
you gotta share a fridge,
and both manage the garbage,
but hey, maybe they don’t snore.

Alright, now go have fun getting to know your roommate by doing ridiculous things!