This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at La Verne chapter.
Living in a small space with a new roomie can be difficult — especially when it is the space you both eat, sleep and study in. Follow these five tips to survive living with your first roommate and make a lifelong friend along the way.
Compromise: If you’ve never shared a room, it will be a big shock that you can’t have everything your way in your own room. If your roommate wants the lights off at 9 PM on Friday night, use your phone flashlight to gather up what you need for your night out on the town and try to get ready in the bathroom. If your roommate doesn’t share your Taylor Swift addiction, then wear headphones and suggest she do the same. Compromise makes the world go ‘round.
Be friendly: Nothing is worse than feeling uncomfortable in your own room. Who likes awkward silence? NO ONE. On move in day introduce yourself, throughout the first week invite her to go to eat with you — hopefully making the dining hall experience more enjoyable. Go to the frat parties and get to know each other along the way.
Be clean: If you don’t want your new roomie to leave her stuff all over the dorm, then make sure you keep your side of the room neat and tidy as well. Make your bed, pick up your clothes and straighten out your desk. She’ll get the hint that mess and clutter aren’t your forte and she’ll hopefully keep her side presentable.
Separate: Sharing may sound like a great idea, “sharing is caring,” right? Wrong. Separating your things will eliminate confusion when it comes to what you can use and what you need to ask about. Do you want your roomie using all of your expensive Mac makeup or your favorite fruity body wash? Try labeling containers for your bathroom necessities and keep your personal products in them. Cute and convenient.
Talk about it: Never let issues go untouched. Hidden resentment can ruin a new friendship and make for an uncomfortable year. If something about your new roomie’s habits bother you, talk it through and try to make changes that will get you through the year. Do not let past issues weigh on your future experiences, let things go and move on.
At the end of the day having a roommate is a once in a lifetime experience that will have you pulling out your hair and staying up all night telling stories to a new lifelong friend. When the end of the year comes you’ll be wishing you had more time with your new BFF.