Being friends with a roommate sometimes takes some work. You might not have the same interests, or schedules, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some middle ground. College life is always more pleasant when you enjoy spending time with the person who sleeps 10 feet away from you. Here are some ideas on how you and your roomie can have some quality friend time.
1. Have a DIY night
Browse Pinterest or other sites like DesignSponge for some inspiration and get to it. You can create something pretty for your apartment or dorm, like an eye-catching wall hanging, that you both like and took pride in making. If it’s a total fail, at least you’ll share some laughs with your roommate.
2. Go grocery shopping together
Take time every week or so to buy groceries together. Even if you pick out different things, you can still go together and get off campus for a while. Plus it’s always fun to scope out strange fruits and weird food.
3. Make dinner once a week
Make it a point to eat in once a week. You could alternate turns cooking dinner, or could even do it together. Be sure to cook something you’ll both enjoy, and always keep dietary needs in mind. If you’re not much of a cook, make a trip to the dining hall or a favorite pizza place. Sitting down together will help you get to know each other better.
4. Go through your music libraries together
Chances are you’ll have at least a couple bands that overlap. You might even end up being superfans of the same type of music! If you do find something in common, try seeing if the band is coming to your town, and make plans to go to the concert together. If they’re not, head out to a record store and find a cool album to share.
5. Don’t hoard your nail polishes.
As much as you love your carefully-curated polish collection, it’s better to share the love. Instead of freaking when your roomie uses your polishes, make a night of it instead. Break out the base coats and buffers and pop in a movie you’ll both like. You’ll turn a tense moment into one that’s happy and relaxing.
6. Study together
Find a totally new coffee shop and take your roommate and your books for an afternoon of light studying. You may even learn something new from your roommate, and she could learn something new. Taking short breaks can help both of you relax and talk out the stress.