This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% from Her Campus.
Whether you shared a room with siblings as a kid, or flew solo all along, moving to college to share a tiny room with a stranger is super scary (unless, of course, you are #blessed with a single). If you weren’t worried about the dreaded roommate nightmare situation, you’re lying to yourself, for sure. Thankfully, not every roomie is straight out of a horror movie. Tons of girls have great experiences, and some even gain a bestie for life! I talked to some successful pairs, and here are some ways they became #roomiegoals.
ALL OTHER IMAGES ARE FROM “THE ROOMMATE BOOK: Sharing Lives & Slapping Fives” by Becky Simpson
“You have to learn to go with the flow.”
Compromise is key. Flexibility is important when you live with someone else, and having a laid-back attitude makes things easy and comfortable.
“Respect each other’s habits.”
Naps are everything to me, and my freshman year roommate let me have that special time, especially since she knew I’d become a fire-breathing dragon if I didn’t have it.
“Communicate.”
Need to be up early in the morning, but your roomie has to stay up for a late-night study session? Just communicate, and tell them you need to sleep. Odds are they won’t mind using one of the bajillion study lounges on campus.
“Don’t let competition get the best of you.”
You and your roommate will probably take a lot of the same classes freshman year. It’s probably not the greatest idea to always compare grades. Academic life and dorm life should be kept separate, for the benefit of your roomie relationship.
“Learn their language.”
If your roommate is from MA, better believe they’re going to say “wicked” more times per day than you can count on two hands. Sometimes, learning each other’s lingo brings you closer and makes conversation more fun.
“Pick your battles.”
Just because you took the recycling out last time, doesn’t mean you need to declare World War III the next time it fills up and you think it’s your roommate’s turn. Making a huge deal over the little things might create a bigger issue down the road.
“Don’t forget to have fun.”
Go on roomie dates to Seasons, have a girl’s night in, take a trip into Boston. Doing fun things and going on adventures will bring you closer together.
“Late night convo.”
The successful roommates I know all agree. Some of the best conversations you’ll have are before you go to sleep. You’ll talk about everything, from boys, to family, to deep existential questions. You’ll come to get to know tons about each other, well on your way to becoming forever friends.
“Luck of the draw.”
A lot of people decide to go random, and sometimes it’s just plain luck to get a great roommate. It might be an electronic matching system, but I choose to believe it’s the universe giving me a BFF.