Not Messina Around.

• Author: Galanes, Philip

My college roommate and I get along very well--except for the mess she leaves on her side of the room. Her desk is littered, her closet won't close, and she does the bare minimum to clean up. When my parents visited, I told her we should clean. No change! (The most shocking part: On her roommate form, she described herself as "clean and tidy.") How can I politely motivate her to pick up?--Megan

YOU PROBABLY CAN'T. Still, there are some valuable lessons here, starting with: Talk is cheap, and roommate forms are even cheaper. People will generally ascribe positive values to themselves, such as honesty, cleanliness, and hard work...