No matter what year you are in college, one thing never changes: living with people can be hard. Even if you’re rooming with one of your best friends, it is absolutely inevitable that at some point you are going to butt heads and find yourself wishing that you would’ve shelled out the extra money to live alone. Here are 4 tips to living with roommates!
1. Be honest about pet peeves immediately.
Everyone has little pet peeves that drive them insane–mine would be someone putting full drinks in the trash can–and that’s okay! Being aware of what drives you crazy can prevent an argument in the future. Tell your roommate(s) what gets under your skin and why.
2. Set boundaries.
One issue that often causes tension when people live together is that what one person thinks is okay, the other person doesn’t. Setting boundaries is crucial, so if you aren’t a fan of your roommate walking around in her underwear or stealing your favorite sweater tell her! Setting boundaries may seem scary, but you’ll be happy you did later.
3. Avoid subtweeting.
We’re all adults and should be able to act like such. Subtweeting makes you look passive agressive and shows that you have no conflict resolution skills. If something is bothering you, speak up!
4. Spend time away from each other.
Having roommates is great! What isn’t great is being around each other 24/7. If you’re always with the same people, you’re going to start to annoy each other. Be sure to have other hobbies that don’t include your roommates and class.
Having roommates can be a truly rewarding experience, but sometimes it will get frustrating. It’s okay to get frustrated, but it’s not okay to do permanent damage to a friendship. Remember to be open an honest about how you are feeling and not attack the other person. Happy roomies = happy semester!