1. Decorating your common room/space!
Decorating your common room can be a laborious process: first you have to go shopping for decorations and agree on posters, lights, and furniture, then you have to decide where everything will go, and finally you have to put everything in its place. Working as a team to beautify a space that you share will definitely get you talking and laughing. If you’re building furniture together, you’ll be inseparable by the time your IKEA coffee table is all set up.
2. Create Traditions!
Traditions are a great way to establish a connection with your roomies. Here are some suggestions: take a picture together in every season so you can look back on how you’ve changed this year, make a pumpkin pie together every Thanksgiving before you go home to celebrate with your families, and watch Love Actually during finals period before Christmas. When you have traditions, you’ll have so many fun times to look forward to.
3. Pick a restaurant for friend dates
It’s so fun to go to a restaurant that you absolutely love with your girlfriends. It’s even better when the staff knows you! My group of friends adores one sushi restaurant, and we go there all the time for dinners. We go there so much, the host knows us and makes sure he can get us a table even on a busy Saturday night! We feel like celebrities and it’s the perfect way to start a night.
4. Establish roomie nights
One night per week, make a plan to hang out together. For example, this week we’re planning to watch the first episode of the Mindy Project together and drink some wine (can you tell that it’s a girls night?). Other nights we just hang out in our common room and all do our nails at the same time. Making sure that you have alone time together to decompress and reflect on your week is essential.
5. Pick a signature drink or a signature song
Nothing makes you feel classier than having a signature drink. Decide together on what type you like, we love wine and Andre, and thus always have it on hand as we’re getting ready for a night out. Having a signature song is the best because as soon as it comes on, it’s like the universe is perfect. You and your roomie both know the lyrics by heart and can dance insanely and sing along.
Regardless of whether you are absolutely in love with your roommates, or are still getting to know them, it’s great to make time to get to know them and spend quality time with them.