The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College

by Harlan Cohen

Looking for the perfect high school graduation gifts for your college-bound grads? Hundreds of thousands of students agree, The Naked Roommate is the #1 go-to guide for your very best college experience!

From sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to sharing lecture notes, The Naked Roommate is your behind-the-scenes look at EVERYTHING you need to know about college (but never knew you needed to know).

This essential, fully updated edition is packed with real-life advice on everything from managing money to managing stress. Hilarious, outrageous, and telling stories from students on over 100 college campuses cover the basics, and then some, including topics on:

College Living: Dorm dos, don'ts and dramas; lying, noisy, nasty roommates

Finding People, Places and Things: Facebook, Twitter, and beyond; Friend today, gone tomorrow

Classes: To go or not to go?; How to get an A, C, or F

Dating: 17 kinds of college hookups; long distance = BIG concerns

The Party Scene: The punch in the "fruit punch"; Sex, drugs, and the truth

Money: Grants, loans and loose change; Credit cards and online gambling

In college, there's a surprise around every corner. Luckily, The Naked Roommate has you covered!

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Self Help, College, Education, Inspirational, Childrens

519 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Rebecca Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a first generation college student I have received tons of college books for gifts as my family did not have much advice to offer but they wanted to help. I really think college advice books are good for student who parents may have not attended college themselves. The Naked Roomate:And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen is one of the very best college advice books I have read. The book covers many issues faced by college students. It covers topics such as arriving on campus, residence halls,roommate, friends,campus life, and common problems faced by students. I thought the most helpful advice was the sections on roommates and campus life. The tips by real students are helpful as you know every issue you face has been dealt with before and there are always multiple ways to solve an issue. It also covers some difficult issues that some advice books gloss over.The Life Inside the Classroom section was also useful as it featured some tips you usually do not read in advice books but tips that you might use. I also enjoy that the book mentioned it takes times to be adjusted at college as I feel it takes time to adjust to anything. I would recommend The Naked Roomate: And 107 Other Issue You Might Run Into in College to student going to college or attending college and parents and teachers of college age students.

[Isabelle✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: Reread finished! Thank you Harlan.

Useful anecdotes and tips for the transition from high school to college life, of which I am admittedly more nervous than I should be. I want to reread this in August.

Quotes that I'll try to refer back to:

Rule #1: Roommates who want to get along will find a way to get along.

Rule #2: Roommates are not required to be friends. Friendship is a bonus.

Rule #3: All roommates must agree to follow The Uncomfortable Rule. This Uncomfortable Rule states that if something makes any roommate uncomfortable, that roommate must must talk about the problem within 24 to 48 hours or never talk about it at all.

Have a conversation early in the roommate relationship and make it clear that you want to get along. Then ask your roommate to let you know when you do something that makes him or her uncomfortable. Then ask if it's cool for you to do the same.

Strangers are only strange until you get to know them better. Then they're just weird.

When the professor says, "If I do this for you, I'll have to do it for everyone," counter with, "If everyone cared as much as me, I could understand, but I'm the only one here, the only one who cares enough..."

If you don't want to drink, hold a cup, hold yourself, or hold a small animal.

Drinking bad, very bad.

Talk to upperclassmen and discover the BEST jobs on campus.

Make sure the book you're buying is the same edition that the professor is using.

Try to find upperclassmen who had the same class and get books from them.

Don't buy books until you need them. Go to the library and check out textbooks. I rarely buy books.

- campus book network??
- concentrated laundry detergent

Do laundry at slow times, not on the weekends.

Take advantage of classes in the recreational center. There are often classes that you can join for free.

Never be afraid of insulting someone or being rude if you sense danger.

If there is one class you should take in college, it's a self-defense class (for women and for men). A lot of campuses offer them as electives. Sometimes they're not affiliated with the college or university. You'll see them advertised on campus kiosks.

[When Funmi Met Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Very informative. I really recommend that any ongoing college and or Freshman in College Read this book and utilize the tips. It is very thought provoking and causes the potential student to figure out what type of person they are. It causes one to question themselves. It gives good thoughts to mull over as far as roommates go and school involvement. When reading this, it is important that the reader keep themselves and the type of person they are in the front of their mind. Many of these tips need to be customized toward the reader. I do feel more prepared for my impending forage into university life next year.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlan Cohen wrote a wonderful book to advise students not just how to handle roommates but also managing relationships, money, laundry, everyday life in the dorm, in college in a very easy to read and compact book. Every high school graduate needs this book. Get it now.

[Beth Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my high school senior son based on its high rating. He's read it through and read parts of it time and again, and I finally had the chance to read it myself. I was quite impressed and I'm glad that I gave this to him. Cohen has a frank, personal tone that is neither patronizing or trying to sound young and "hip." He also lays out the possible consequences for actions like underage drinking, drug use, and sexual escapades in a forthright manner that addresses basic facts, nor moralizations. This kind of blunt talk is especially useful for a young autistic person who is a more literal thinker and doesn't need important talk shyly addressed through metaphor and simile. I'm glad that my son has already said he'll be bringing this to his dorm room.

[Hannah]

i know it was meant to calm, but really this book just convinced me that i'm going to get a roommate who steals my things and pukes in my clothes and plays metal all night long.... at least it showed me how to deal with it?

[Annabelle Bragdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

was most of this common sense? yes. but at least it's reinforced??

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a 1.5 stars
I think because my high school was on a college campus and I was able to get my associates degree a few days after my high school diploma, these tips were not as shocking as I thought they would be. This book is a decent start for people who don't know a lot about college but I think there are other more up to date resources when it comes to college. Some times The tips felt more like lessons/warnings from a dad rather that telling the facts straight. He used scare tactics especially when talking about sex, sexual assault, drinking ect. I would much rather any book that claims to be a resource to just tell it like it is versus spewing worst case scenarios. I ended up skimming bits or just skipping pages all together because some of the stuff he said was common sense, to me at least. Nonetheless, If you're nervous about college this could be a good place to start but I think it is to be used along side more up-to-date and straight forward resources.

I move away for college in about 10 days so I'm glad I can get this book off my shelf.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up when I was considering writing a How To: College book.

I was very eager to read the many tips and trivia it had amongst it's pages. However, I was fairly disappointed once I did start reading. The tips were genuine and I really appreciated the personal stories it included from some students across the nation. However, the humor was lackluster and the advice was seemingly obvious.

However, I had a few favorite tips that I planned on sharing with a group of first year students that I teach every year. Examples include:

- Be Yourself: Not Me, Her, or Him
- About Your Parents
- Homesickness
- To Go or Not To Go
- How To Get An A
- The Art of Reading
- Take Notes Here
- I Got Dumped and Am Not In A Relationship

Overall it was a well researched book about the college experience. I was just not pleased with the small attempts at humor, or the blandness of the advice.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book some 4 years ago when I was about to go to college. It is kind of entertaining. Harlan Cohen is like a comforting therapist who makes lame jokes and knows nothing about you. Definitely worth thumbing through when you pause at the "College Guide" shelf at Barnes and Noble. Not worthy of your hard-earned bills, but perhaps worthy of your helicopter parent's.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since freshman year, I've been worrying about college since I will be a first-generation student. This book was exactly what I needed! A little repetitive at times (I think I read that I must wear shoes in the shower at least 8 times!). Very informative though, glad I read it.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice, with a few intriguing stories, but it gets a bit preachy for me at times. Still an excellent reference for first time college students.

[Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful with getting ready for college.

[Julie Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very practical guide to going to college. It talked about all the issues facing kids going off to college in a very real way with humor added and gave great tips on how to handle things. I will be giving this out as graduation gifts to the high school seniors in my life.

[Jake Steen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was this😂
Yo Dave this is going right back to gray gray even tho he can’t even read

[Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the oldest child and a first gen college student, it was nice to be able to hear about so many of the problems outright and also get advice on how to solve them that isn’t just “be prepared.”

[Tori Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very honest and helpful advice!

[Jennifer Sakash · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son received for high school graduation. Packed with practical advice delivered in a very humorous approach.

[absolutely reprehensible behaviour]

I’m so locked in

[Yue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally, I avoid self-help books. I look at them with disdain and mistrust. But I did not choose to read this guide to help me, since I finished college life years ago. I did it to learn more about American college system, something that has always made me curious but at the same time, something that made me think "Thank God I did not have to go to an American college".

As a material to enlighten me, it was good. I learned a lot of stuff I did not know before or stuff I knew but took for granted maybe. This guide goes from roommates and classes to drugs, sex, bullying, suicide and money problems. It covers many things. And the author includes phone numbers and other ways to reach for help (twitter, website, FB, etc). And oh yes, he likes to promote his own stuff over and over again.

As someone who is going to start college... I mean, sometimes I put myself in the shoes of someone who is going to go to college for the first time, and it scared the s*** out of me. I think this guide could be a little overwhelming for a freshman. It is scary, to get out of your comfort zone and live alone, in a new environment, for the first time. I can't sympathize enough with people who are introvert, since I am a very introvert person myself, and the author keeps saying that you need to go and meet new people and basically, socialize (very hard advice, at least for me), and be a responsible adult (not so hard).

The 4 main tips that Harlan repeats over and over again, are:

- Be yourself
- Get out of your room (to have a social life)
- Get help (from counselors, seniors, professors, RA, etc.) for whatever problem you may have (sexual attack, depression, studies/roommates/classes/money problems, drugs, etc)
- Always wear flip flops in the bathroom

So that are the main advises to start college, and of course, be responsible with your studies, money, and life in general.

I am glad I did not go to college in USA (1 of every 4 girls have experienced rape or an attempted rape in college, imagine that!), but of course, it depends of your personality. If you are an introvert like me, this guide is kind of pointless I think.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents issues that face many college students, such as dorm life, roommates, friends, food, class, drinking, drugs, sex, laundry, money, etc. The book is organized and narrated by Harlan Cohen, an encouraging and positive voice, and contains letters, stories,questions, and advice from real college students.

As a parent, I am not as laid back in my attitude about some issues as Harlan, but I recognize college students will be and should be making their own decisions. I would really like my son to read this book so that he can decide ahead of time how to handle situations the way he wants to--not just fall into what everyone else is doing or not doing.

I did check this book out for my high school junior who seemed very interested at first and took it to his room (without my prompting)where it sat for a week without moving. So I picked it up and read it.

About 2 months ago a good friend told me about her nephew's roommate at University of Maryland. For whatever reason, at the end of his freshman year, he allowed himself to be thrown into the hat for a roommate. As he started his sophomore year, he found that his roommate liked being completely naked when he was in his dorm room. He told his roommate, "Put some pants on dude." But the guy refused. Apparently the roommate was mildly autistic and liked feeling unencumbered. That must have been so awkward especially if you had friends stop over. Anyway, after first semester ended he was able to get into another room and life is better--his girlfriend is willing to drop by his room. So when I was the cover of this book, I knew I had to read it.

[Fi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Naked Roommate was great! This is the first college advice book I've read before starting college myself in about a month. And it's probably the only one I'll ever need to read (though let's be honest, I'm going to read more). It covers just about every topic you could be worried about, for all different people. Granted this means that not all of the topics apply to everyone, but there definitely is something for everyone.

This book covered things that I was worried about (like making new friends) and made me feel a lot better. Now I know what to expect! It was also really interesting to read about all the drugs and alcohol. Though I would never do drugs, I find them really interesting to learn about.

It's probably a better book to skip around in rather than read straight through like I did. I got pretty bored in the sorority and fraternity section, just because I'm not interested in that sort of thing.

The book was also a little outdated but that's my own fault for not checking out the newest edition from the library.

Anyways, I recommend this book to anyone who's starting college! Even if you're not worried about it. It's really great and informative and also funny and fun to read! :)

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is aimed at new college students, and I'm long past that. But, I'm the parent of a son who is about to be a college student so I decided to read this to see if I could learn anything to help me and my son as he prepares to leave home.
There is a lot of good solid information in this book; the true tales from actual college students are very enlightening and the resources at the end of each chapter contain a wealth of information. Cohen's narration is witty, calming, and helpful. He speaks with the knowledge of one who's been there without sounding pedantic or condescending.

However, the book is unnecessarily repetitive and wallows in unashamed self-promotion. This book is probably prone to skipping through, looking for currently relevant bits for a college student to read makes a certain level of repetition necessary. But this was over the top.
And it felt like every other paragraph directed the reader to check out the author's website.
Or Facebook page
Or blog
Or Twitter feed.
Enough already.

[Endia Kneipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. When I first read the cover I was skeptical if the information it would present would be silly or not. I didn't think it would really be accurate, but when I finally picked it up I found I was wrong. This book has a flurry of advice on everything you could possibly run into at college. I found myself highlighting every few lines and folding pages to remember them as I read it. I was lucky enough to pick this up right before senior year of high school, and now that I'm going into college in a few months I feel ahead of the curb. Everything people have asked about what I'm gonna do in varying situations I have had an answer for because of this book. It goes through everything from: study habits, food, money management (like deep into credit cards and banking) to things most if these books wouldn't want to talk about: sex, one night stands, alcohol and smoking, even LGBT! I recommend it for anyone in college or going to college!

[Melanie Fair · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to tell if you would've liked a book if you had read it at a different point in your life; I'm currently post-college and heading towards living alone, so most of the advice doesn't apply to me. Even with that, Harlan Cohen isn't exactly sensitive to people with anxiety issues. Besides promoting his own shit like crazy, his second obnoxiously repeated refrain is to go out and meet people. Live on campus, don't bunk with someone you know, join as many clubs as you want, BE AN EXTROVERT.
And I'm not saying you shouldn't try new things, meet new people, experience college life...but his advice isn't meant for everyone (doi). Some of the things he suggested would terrify me, and you'd be surprised how much you can get from having an internet life, so all in all I wouldn't recommend this to people with moderate to severe anxiety issues/extreme introverts.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

I read this book the summer before I started college and it really helped me get a great insight into college life. Harlan Cohen tackles every question and worry that an incoming freshman could think of, and he gives great advice and lots of resources for more information.

Cohen tackles the tough and combats the easy in his book THE NAKED ROOMMATE. He does this with such a flair that readers feel that they can trust him and his advice. The pages full of his hilarious wit also calm the nerves of the reader, who is probably nervous about college.

This book is highly recommended to anyone either going or already in college. This book is full of ANSWERS! It really helps one feel prepared for the next journey of their life - university!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone going to college: Read this book. Not all of the tips will apply to you. All of them are phenomenal. I don't usually write reviews, but for this I will make an exception. The tips and stories in this book are truly helpful. Even though I felt confident going into college, I feel even better about my experience now. The Naked Roommate covers everything from relationships (with professors, roommates, friends, and parents) and getting involved on campus, to drug/alcohol abuse and mental disorders. Yes, one of the tips does deal with a 'naked roommate'. All around I found it a humorous and helpful read; I can see why its mandatory for some colleges.

[Catherine Cervone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone going to college. Reading it makes me feel so much more prepared, and gives lot of insider info on what college is really like. The author presents the tips with stories from college students from all across the country, giving the reader an idea of just what can really happen. He's very real and unpretentious with his readers, making the book humorous and fun to read. I checked out this book from the library, and liked it so much that I'm probably going to buy myself a copy and bring it with me to college for reference whenever I need it. I will also be buying copies for my senior friends.

[Gloria Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter is starting post-secondary education this fall and will be living in residence. A friend loaned me the book and read the whole thing within a few days. I wish I had this book 27 years ago when I started university!!! I have loaned to my daughter to read now. It is a very accurate account of what goes on in college/university. The tips are totally relevant, extremely useful, and informative on so many topics. I don't think the author left anything out. As I was reading, it was feeling a bit dated (3rd ed) in terms of some of the language, slang, and idioms used, that today's students wouldn't get, but overall really well done.

[Miss Lovely · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would gain a lot by reading this book, as I am the first to go to college in the United States. The education system is very different in Europe. However, this book is completely unnecessary.
The only thing it might do is calm you down. It's just college, and all your little situations that seem so big really aren't a big deal. The main ideas from the whole book are: talk to your advisor, talk to your professor, be patient & tolerant, and know that it's going to be okay.

Some of the more specific big things were : be patient, you will make friends; be tolerant of others' beliefs/sexual orientation etc; go to class; see your professors