Many college freshmen who are living on their own for the first time have never had to share a room and their personal space with anyone else. This transition is hard for countless students, and so many people have a difficult time getting along with their roommates. If this sounds like you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Lucky for me, I’ve been blessed with some pretty awesome roommates, so here are some tips for how my roomies and I get along so well.
Communicate
Communication is one of the most important aspects of any relationship, including your relationship with your roommate. If your roommate is doing something that’s bothering you, tell them! Your roomie can’t magically know how to fix a problem that you haven’t told them about in the first place.
Compromise
I’m sorry to tell you, but your room is not just your room anymore. If you’re going to be living with someone else, you need to be open to compromise on things that you may never have had before. Being able to compromise on issues like sleep schedules, room temperature and guest visits will save you and your roomie from lots of arguing.
Respect
One of the most important things about living with someone is to be respectful of their space and belongings. Always make sure to clean up after yourself and ask before you borrow anything that belongs to your roommate.
Expectations
One of the best ways to establish a good relationship with your roomie is to set expectations and boundaries with one another. These expectations/boundaries can include taking turns cleaning your room, taking out trash, if you want to share food, and so much more. Creating expectations helps hold you and your roommate accountable for any missteps that may happen.
You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate, but you’ll be so much happier if you can at least get along with them. Follow these four guidelines, and it’ll make the start of your college experience just a little bit better.