Dilemma

[Dr.Epic]

Basically, next semester I may have to take a leave of absence from my college. I'm waiting one something, it's not certain. I do have to tell my roommates. I live off campus with two Seniors. One's leaving after graduation, the other is planning on staying. We found a replacement, and I do have to tell them they might need to find a new roommate. I've haven't said anything, but I sort of made the impression I was going to be hear next year. The point is I have to tell them soon because (a) the years almost over and they need to find someone and (b) the new roommate was studying abroad and his semester in Japan ended so he's back in the states and he's only going to be around right now for a week and I need to tell them both in person.

Really I'm wondering what's the best way to do this. I only want to inform those two for the moment as even I'm not sure of what'll happen. I tend to not tell people things unless I know for a fact they'll happen, but they need to know so they can start looking for a potential roommate.

[Dr.Epic]

{scrubbed}

[Magnor Criol]

Honestly, I think the way you've said it here is pretty much the clearest way.

Just tell them that you might not be able to be here (no need to go into details if you don't want to) but that you're not sure yet. They'll understand and appreciate that you're giving them a heads-up for a potential situation. Like you said, they need to know sooner so they can start looking for a roommate.

The next half of that is that as soon as you do know for sure which way things are headed, let them know. They'll be able to put their feelers out, so to speak, when you tell them it might happen, but they won't really be able to do anything for certain until they know, because a roommate isn't just something that can be signed up or dropped easily.

I don't know your roommates, of course, but if they're reasonable people and get along with you, they'll completely understand, and will appreciate that you kept them in the loop as much as you could.

[Dr.Epic]

Honestly, I think the way you've said it here is pretty much the clearest way.

Just tell them that you might not be able to be here (no need to go into details if you don't want to) but that you're not sure yet. They'll understand and appreciate that you're giving them a heads-up for a potential situation. Like you said, they need to know sooner so they can start looking for a roommate.

The next half of that is that as soon as you do know for sure which way things are headed, let them know. They'll be able to put their feelers out, so to speak, when you tell them it might happen, but they won't really be able to do anything for certain until they know, because a roommate isn't just something that can be signed up or dropped easily.

I don't know your roommates, of course, but if they're reasonable people and get along with you, they'll completely understand, and will appreciate that you kept them in the loop as much as you could.

Still, do you have any ideas on the best way to tell them? I should do it in person and I'm not sure how easy it will be to have them both in the same place with no one else.

[grimbold]

would it be that bad if anybody else heard, just say 'we need to talk in private' to the two of them and go off to a corner and break the news, chances are they won't be to upset

[Dr.Epic]

would it be that bad if anybody else heard, just say 'we need to talk in private' to the two of them and go off to a corner and break the news, chances are they won't be to upset

I'm not sure about this: my one friend is only around for a few more days, and I'm not sure I can even have them both in the same place at the same time to ask that.

[Deathslayer7]

If you can't get them together than do it seperately. Is there a reason they have to be together so you can talk to them?

[grimbold]

If you can't get them together than do it seperately. Is there a reason they have to be together so you can talk to them?

agreed, can you explain why they need to be together, personally i feel that telling them separately would cause fewer problems

[Juggling Goth]

Just make sure you tell the first one that you're going to tell the second one as soon as you can, and it's confidential until then. And then really do tell the second one as soon as you can. Telling them together is not as important as making sure the second one hears it from you, and not through the grapevine.