When Rachel* decided she wanted a roommate, it was mainly for companionship. The 18-year-old, who was going into her first year at Concordia University, thought she would get pretty lonely if she had the room all to herself. When she and her roommate, Sam*, weren’t immediate friends, Rachel wasn’t too bothered by it. Throughout the first semester they weren’t close but they got along well enough. It wasn’t until the second semester that the issues started.
Sam started partying way harder than she had during the first semester. Rachel was constantly being woken up in the early hours of the morning when Sam would come home. While this was annoying for Rachel, it didn’t bother her until Sam started coming home and puking on their dorm room floor, always leaving Rachel to clean it up.
There are countless horror stories about roommates. Hearing them can be enough to dissuade anyone from wanting to live with other people. However, living with roommates can be a lot of fun. You always have people to talk to and hang out with. Plus, there’s the added bonus that it is a lot cheaper. Here are 5 tips to make sure your house doesn’t become a personal hell:
1. Pick your battles
When I was moving into my first apartment with roommates, the piece of advice I kept hearing was, “Not everything is worth fighting over.” Knowing when it’s worth potentially starting drama will save you major headaches. If something that’s bothering you is happening frequently like with Rachel and her roommate’s vomiting, it’s probably worth bringing it up to your roommates. If it’s a one-time thing, you should consider just letting it go.
2. Get a chalkboard
Sarah Foti, a second year Concordia student, says “having a chalkboard [or a whiteboard] is a total lifesaver.” It’s an easy place to keep information like the Wi-Fi password and garbage day listed. It also makes for a perfect place to keep track of who needs to buy toilet paper or dish soap next. Sarah also says its great for leaving messages for your roommates.
3. Don’t split the cost of everything
When you’re first moving into a new place, there is a lot to buy. From toasters to plates, filling a house with necessities can be pricy. So it’s natural that you and your roomies feel like you should split the total cost of everything. But Emily Booker, a fourth year McGill student, says don’t. When she moved into her first apartment in her second year of university, her and five other girls took turns paying for appliances; One person bought a toaster and another paid for the blender. That way, when they all moved out two years later, there was no drama over who got to take what.
4. Divide common spaces
For the fridge, bathroom drawers, even coat hooks, navigating what belongs to who is way easier if the space is divided. This is particularly useful if you and one of your roomies use the same face cream or drink the same brand of milk. If everyone has their own section, there’s no second-guessing on whether or not something is yours.
5. Take turns doing chores
No one wants to clean up after other people. If everyone takes turns cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming the hallways, it’ll never become a huge task. You can find cute ideas for how to make different chore wheels on Pinterest.
*names have been changed