One of the first and perhaps most meaningful friendships you can make in your time in college is with your roommate. Considering the fact that you share a room with them, maintaining a stable relationship is very important—but this doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! My roommate and I realized we would be best friends during Wildcat Welcome Week and we continue to spend tons of time together (when we aren’t in class, that is!). If you are also the best of friends with your roomie, or if you are looking to become better friends, there are tons of activities that can help you get to know each other!
Here are some of the things my roommate and I have done together that other roomies can try too!:
Go explore Chicago: Whether you are a freshman or a senior here at Northwestern, it’s difficult to find time to get into the city. With midterms, finals and homework always lurking around the corner, it seems nearly impossible to take the adventure. One lazy Sunday, my roommate and I decided to set aside just a few hours and headed into Chicago. We decided to go to the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was very inexpensive (free!) and an absolute blast. Chicago offers so much more for roomies to do including shopping, eating, and museums.
Go to games together: Fall quarter means one thing: football season! My roomie and I enjoyed nothing more than getting decked out in purple to cheer for our Wildcats. Now that football season is over, you and your roommate can head over to basketball games and do just the same! What better way to bond than over your love for Northwestern?
Browse around a bookstore: My roommate and I love going to Barnes & Noble in Evanston whenever we get the chance. With two floors and seemingly rows of movies, books, and magazines, there is a ton to browse through. We usually head straight for the magazines and read each other excerpts from our favorite fashion and gossip magazines, but you can share your tastes in film, books or music too!
Go home with your roomie: Lucky for me, and probably several other roommates at Northwestern, mine lives right in Illinois. One weekend we decided to head home and visit her friends and family. It was a great opportunity to see what her life at home was like and to get to know her better. Being able to see your roommate’s life outside of college is surely a great way to bond!
Catch up on TV together: Compare your taste in television shows with your roommate and you might find you have something in common! Although it can get pretty hectic throughout the week with so much work, it is really nice to be able to take a break for an hour or two and catch up on a show we both love. Watching movies and television together is a great way to share your favorites together as well as get each other hooked on something new!