By Toria Bodden: Features Editor

Photo Credit: geekwithlaptop.com

Here at the Pride, we understand all the little things that come up in a brand spanking new living arrangement. We’ve seen it all: demented roommates, delusional landlords, terrifying bug infestations, overly friendly stray cats, overly friendly stray significant others of said demented roommates. Your college living situation will probably totally free of hassle. Stories of terror get around because they’re the entertaining exceptions, not the rule. But just in case you find yourself with any of these problems, we have some helpful advice. Even if everything seems perfect now, it couldn’t hurt to cut this article out or bookmark it online, just in case.

So here’s what to do if you’ve got…

1) … someone less than stellar collecting your rent.

In a lot of cases, you’ll be dealing with a corporation or rental management company instead of an individual. Regardless of who is in charge of your rental, though, you have the same rights. And yes, I mean “rights,” as in things that are protected by law. In California, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is responsible for tenants’ rights. It’s not a bad idea to take a look at their helpful handbook now, before you ever have a problem. If you’re already having a problem, this should be your first resource. It gives you a firm footing for standing up to your landlord. And if the problem can’t be resolved for some reason, the DCA’s website even provides information about taking your landlord to small claims court. The handbook is available at http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/index.shtml.

2) … a roommate who isn’t quite your cup of tea.

In some cases, you may end up with a roommate who becomes a friend for life. In a lot of cases, you will at least be friendly. But there are cases where a roommate situation may be a little less than you desired. The person in question said they never party. Now that you’re in the same apartment, though, you notice that she or he actually drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney, and makes Caligula look like a prude. If you’re living on campus, you’re in University Village.  One of the benefits of living on campus is that they have a system for dealing with these situations, and they’ve seen it all. Your resident assistant can give you plenty of tips for making peace and can help sort out issues without taking sides. If you’re off campus, it’s the real world. You’re more limited but you’ve still got some options. Always try to talk to the roommate first. They may not realize leaving their socks on the floor or drinking your milk is about to drive you insane. If that fails, check your lease. If you’re just renting a room from someone else, you can probably leave if you give thirty days notice. If you’re the one renting someone the room, you may be able to give them thirty days notice to get out. If you’re stuck together, identify the issues and lay ground rules. But remember, if we’re talking about a situation that’s actually dangerous to you, do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars, go straight to talk to your leasing office or even the police.

3) … some very small uninvited guests.

You move in somewhere at the very beginning of fall semester. When the first heat wave hits, you realize that you only saw a few stray ants outside your apartment because the rest, and there appear to be thousands, are in your kitchen cupboards. Don’t panic. Several leasing offices offer certain extermination services as part of your community privileges. The last thing they want is for you to ignore a pest problem because you couldn’t afford the exterminator and then have it spread to several other apartments. It looks bad on the leasing office. If you’re in a situation where you’re on your own for getting rid of bugs, do your research online. See if local companies offer discounts, check the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/). And, just in case you’ve missed all the news coverage about them, yes, bed bugs are back, and they’re back with a vengeance after being MIA in the US for about forty years. While I realize mattresses and sofas are ridiculously expensive, you’d be better off getting the cheapest thing from Ikea rather than buying off Craigslist. Bed bugs can be transferred in any piece of furniture, and getting rid of them once they’re in your house is an extremely expensive process. The best plan is to check an apartment top to bottom before you move in, looking for signs of any creepy crawlies.

4) … a rat hiding behind the couch, your roommate’s boyfriend hitting on you, a guy passed out in your bath tub you’ve never seen before, etc.

Just remain calm. If this is your first time living away from home, you’re going to find yourself in all kinds of bizarre situations. You’ll start to laugh it off. If this is your umpteenth apartment, then chances are you’ve already realized you just need to role with the punches of a new situation, and things will settle down quickly. I remember, in my first apartment, the day I realized I was going to have to kill the biggest spider I’d ever seen by myself. I just about had a heart attack. It gets easier, though. You’ll get into a routine, establish your own space, make some friends, learn that you can actually cook things besides ramen (see our new column, Prowlin’ the Kitchen for more help with that) and life will go on.