Well it’s August and that means move-in is right around the corner! Whether you’re a first year meeting your roomie for the time or a junior who’s rooming with your bestie, sharing a space with anyone can be a challenge. But don’t worry! By following some of these steps, hopefully you and your roomie(s) will have smooth sailing the whole year!
-
Talk About Boundaries Right Away.
Can you snag some of the OJ she bought without asking? What about having guests over? And what time do you like to fall asleep? Asking a few questions about your personal lifestyle and figuring out what’s okay and what’s not right from the beginning can help clear up any conflicts that might come up down the road. Even creating a rule list and hanging it up somewhere can remind both of you what your boundaries are at all times.
-
You Don’t Have to Be Best Friends. This is an important one. While sometimes roommates do end up being best friends, it might be that you’re just too different for a strong friendship to work out. But that doesn’t mean things have to be awkward! Yes you’re living with this girl and you should be civil but it’s also important to recognize that you should do your own thing and go to clubs/parties/dinners without your roommate. Same goes for meeting people outside of your floor or building or even campus—after all, what are you gonna do next year when you’re all in different places? This is especially important if you live on an all girls floor.
-
Set Up a Weekly Bonding Time! If you both love Pretty Little Liars, then make an effort to watch it together each week! Or set up Tuesday New World Dinners—its important to spend at least a little time with your roomie outside of the dorm room. Feel free to invite each other’s friends so you can expand your circles!
-
Don’t Spend All Your Time in the Room. While it may seem difficult at first, if you are both constantly in the room, you’re bound to get on each other’s nerves. Try studying in the library or an empty classroom. Scope out a cute café downtown to go to when things are a bit tense with your roomie and you just want to breathe. Or find a friend outside your floor who always has an open door. And take advantage of those times when she has class and you can just chill in the room—you’ll never appreciate that little bit of alone time until you are living with someone else!
-
Know to Reach Out for Help When It’s Needed. Hopefully you can work out most arguments yourselves but sometimes it’s important to get an authority figure involved. I’m talking about more serious issues like if she comes home drunk every day at 3 in the morning and seriously affects your life. If talking to her one on one just doesn’t get through to her, feel free to reach out to your RA or RD. They’re trained to deal with these situations and can help work out the best solution for both of you!
No matter what happens, living in such close quarters with someone else is never easy. Remember that it’s only for 2 semesters and you can move it if things get really rough. But try to stick it out and just get space when you need it! After all, no one ever said it was going to be easy but if you follow these tips, you can try to make the best of it!