Customer Reviews

The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College, 2nd Edition

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The author, Harlan Cohen, gives advice on the hard issues, like dating, sex, alcohol and drugs, plus tips on going Greek, getting involved, skipping class and dealing with roommates and the stuff we tend to overlook, like avoiding the 'freshman 15' and doing laundry without losing your unmentionables. And yes, there is a tip on how to deal with a naked roommate (tip #16). My all time favorite advice is what to do if your roommate enjoys having sex in your presence. First he suggests you talk to her and let her know it bothers you and if that doesn't work then invite friends over to watch. She might move her lovemaking to somewhere a little more private if she realizes she has an audience.

There are so many things to love of about this book, but let's start with humor. Harlan doesn't spend over 400 pages preaching. Instead he writes as if he's sitting around chatting with his friend [and that friend is you, the reader]. He cracks jokes. He invites you to check out his mySpace and Facebook pages. And he never once talks down to you. This is great considering the target audience is teenagers and I think we all know how hard they are to get through to.

Another great thing about this book is the testimonials. Each tip begins with a comment from a real live college student. And the tips come from students all over the U.S., even Iowa. It was great to hear from students who are living it, have learned from their mistakes and are willing to share [anonymously]. It made the advice feel more credible since we're hearing it from all different types of students from all different kind of schools.

But what I love best about this book are the chapters on the tough stuff; sex, alcohol and drugs. I'm one of those who thinks we can [and should] preach abstinence and `just say no' to drugs and alcohol, but we also need to make sure our kids understand the consequences and know what to do if they don't listen to our preaching. Some of our kids will experiment and they need to know what to do in those situations. Harlan does a great job of giving both sides.

In the sex section, his advice is to not have sex until you are absolutely ready and in love and won't be ashamed of it in the morning. Several times he states you must feel comfortable enough with your partner to discuss both of your sexual histories. He discusses different birth control options plus what to do if you make a mistake. And he pounds home the point that you need to make sure you aren't doing something drunk that you wouldn't do sober.

In the alcohol and drug sections, he makes it clear that not everybody on campus is getting drunk and high. Kids come in to college thinking everybody gets drunk four nights a week, but the reality is more than half of students are there to [gasp] get an education. But he also has advice for those students who do decide to drink or do drugs. He suggests they figure out how to balance it all; drinking and making it to class so they don't flunk out. He also has some suggestions for dealing with druggie roommates or alcoholic friends.

This is the stuff our college students want to hear about. They don't want to hear their parents preaching "be safe." They want real advice about what to do when they find themselves in these situations and Harlan gives them those answers.

I could go on and on about the great tips offered in this book, but instead I'll just leave you with one last tip; finding your place on campus (tip #3). Throughout the book Harlan emphasizes the need to be involved. Several tips talk about joining sporting clubs or religious clubs or political clubs or starting your own club. This is one of the most important tips in the book. Too many kids spend their first few months holed up in their room not making friends. College is such an amazing experience. Not one second should be wasted and I think with the help of this book kids will be able to dive right in and make the best of it. If you have teenagers get a copy of this book. If you have toddlers, put this in your Amazon wishlist so you'll remember to buy the latest edition when they are teenagers. I can't wait for my teenagers to read it.

I am an entering college freshman. I read the reviews for this book and was really excited for it's arrival. Overall, it is informative but incredibly repetitive. It could have been cut down to about ten tips instead of the overwhelming and somewhat boring one-hundred and seven. A lot of it is common sense and I could have done without reading it. The study tips included and the conflict resolution/avoidance tips will come in handy but I am not really impressed.

I am a first generation college student so it is not as though I had anyone to talk to about what to expect in college. I ordered this book to answer some of my questions. This book did that and so much more. It wasn't a boring "self-help" book; it was engaging and informative at the same time. Truly amazing read. If you are going off to school or your children are going off to school, get this book.

My mother bought this book for my daughter as a high school graduation gift. Although my daughter received other books about college survival, this is the one the kids passed around and studied at the graduation party. All the books contain similar advice, but I think the title and the picture of the naked, hairy legs caught the attention of the 18 year old girls. The most helpful book is the one with practical advice that students actually read! This one seems to meet those criteria!

I found this book to be helpful, albeit a bit generic. The only issue I have with it is that the quotes are randomly placed in the text, i.e. quotes from students interrupt unrelated sentences with no warning. It also doesn't have a table of contents, and it is very hard to 'skim' because you don't know where you're going to jump to (finding specific numbered tips is basically impossible, which are frequently mentioned: "turn to tip #66 for more information"). I'd recommend the physical copy, but the Kindle edition is fairly frustrating.

I should start off by stating that I started giving this title to the college-bound children of my clients. Cohen has a novel but powerful way of explaining all the nuances of freshman life in college.

Without getting too much into it, the book makes for an excellent gift and provides both need- and want-to-know facts about college life. Yes - there are moments at which you say to yourself, "Duh." Keep in mind, Harlan is not writing to you only. The book is made for everyone.

With that in mind, pick up a copy, smile, RELAX, and enjoy The Naked Roommate by Harlan Cohen.

I love this book. I give it as a gift to all the High School grads in my life. It uses humor and comments from actual college students to address real issues. It reiterates what mom has always told them, but in a new, hipper voice.

This book is perfect for all students about to go off to college in the US . It has sensible advice about everything, is well written and fun to read. I recommend this book to all my students as an educational adviser.

Saw this first at the local library. After readig about 4 chapters, decided that my oldest grandson, who waws off toe OSU in the fall, ought to be reading this, so I ordered it and sent it to him. His mother called and sid he hadn't put it down since he got it!! He told her, "Gramma did a good job on this one and all my friends need to read this!!"
Thanks!

When I bought this book I didn't pay attention to who the author was. I guess the title was what caught my eye first! I have been a fan of Harlan Cohen's newspaper column and find his advice to be spot on.

The book is so full of good advice, and while much of it is focused on college life, there is a lot of useful information for any young adult moving out on their own. For example, dealing with parents after the move, the best friend/roommate situation, and sexual assault/alcohol are all topics that are relative to most independent living situations.

Cohen's format is great. Each subject includes a brief introduction to the tip/topic, followed by a slightly more lengthy story related by a college student. Then Cohen adds his own words of wisdom. The topic concludes with a brief "bottom line" summary. And scattered throughout are sidebars of statistics, facts, and quotes. The book is a wealth of knowledge on a wide variety of subjects of crucial importance for a successful college experience. And Harlan Cohen does it in his usual youth-friendly style with generous dashes of humor thrown into the mix. This book is a must have book for the high school graduate (or even sooner) and a great gift to grown kids preparing to move out and begin the next phase of their lives. 50 Ways to Leave Your Mother