Some people get extremely lucky with their roommates… and some don’t. I’ve experienced both situations, living on and off campus. Even though my roommate is now one of my best friends, sometimes we just have bad days and living in a cramped room together can be difficult. It’s definitely better to have your own space if possible, but either way, it’s important to be as considerate as possible and recognize how basic essentials like communication and cleaning can affect a relationship.
Communicate
Communication is the most important skill that comes into play in a roommate relationship. If you’re living on campus, then you are familiar with the roommate agreement that most students experience. Each person goes through what they’re comfortable with regarding cleanliness, visitors, privacy, noise, etc. Though tedious, it can be helpful to learn of others’ pet peeves and boundaries. If you’re living off campus, it can be harder to bring up the conversation of what everyone is comfortable with. However, it’s better to get the conversation out of the way instead of finding out the hard way that your roommate likes to have eight people over every other night.
Clean up
Most people do not enjoy cleaning, myself included, but it’s a necessary part of life. School can make you busy, sometimes too busy to do housework every day, but it’s important to consider how your roommates may feel about dirty clothes being on their side of the room or the living room. Uncleanliness can cause tension in the room, especially if your roommate doesn’t want to directly confront you about it (again, communication is key!). Although you may have strong feelings about cleaning, you and your roommate both probably have stronger feelings about old apple cores lying in the middle of the floor.
Be considerate
Related to my last point, being considerate of your roommate’s feelings can make a huge difference in how you may behave. If they are trying their best to make your living space comfortable, they probably expect the same from your end. After making a formal or informal roommate agreement, or just communicating what you both expect from each other, it’s important to stick by your word and do your part in maintaining harmony in your living space.