After leaving my small freshmen dorm room in Curtin, I was more than ecstatic to move into my first apartment. First apartments are a sign of true independence, true responsibility and complete freedom. Having my own room and own bathroom was a dream so far from reach, so I had to take the efficient “broke college kid” way and share a one bedroom apartment with my two best friends. Certainly, I thought that this new apartment was going to be filled with incredible laughs, crazy parties, and relaxing Sundays….I thought wrong. The first week/weekend at my apartment was a rollercoaster that never came to stop, until we all set boundaries and rules. Here are a few tips on how to keep your sanity in those teeny tiny apartments that you are bound to during you college career:
1. Establish “Don’t Touch My Food” rules.
We all have that one special food item that we savor forever. For me, it’s my $6.50 organic granola, and for my roommates its either Pringels or soup. Tell each other what you want to share and what you don’t want to share, to avoid yourself from crying in the kitchen because all your favorite donuts are gone. Also, when you are grocery shopping, save yourself some money and agree with the roommates to split the costs of common things like eggs or cheese.
2. Know each other’s schedules.
It is very important to know the class schedule of your roommates. Especially when it comes to morning classes. If you have an earlier class than your roommates, it is a good idea to lay out your outfit at night so you don’t wake them trying to find the perfect outfit for class.
3. Pay your bills on time.
This a big downfall of owning your own apartment. With our busy college lives, we can often forget little dates that would be important to the working class. Establish a system of paying bills, maybe by picking one roommate to cover all the bills and then just paying her in cash or a check. This is best to avoid always recollecting money from your roommates. Bundle up your bills into one payment.
4. Balancing the decorations.
You all obviously have different personalities, and will not all agree on the same decorations. For example I would rather make a DIY project and hang it up than having a poster of a guy without a shirt on. The key is to all agree on what is going where, and if it fits the look of your apartment. You really don’t want your apartment looking like an unsolved puzzle piece.
5. Don’t be that girl who always has her boyfriend around.
Trust me ladies, I thought I would be this girl. The one thing I love is spending time with my boyfriend after a hard day of classes. Don’t suffocate your roommates with all the love that you and your significant other have. Coordinate with your boyfriend what days you stay at your place and what days you stay at his.
6. Get involved in activities and don’t just stay home.
There is always that one couch potato. Get up and go on a run! Sign up for random clubs on campus and go to their meetings. You are only in college once, so don’t spend it sitting in front of the TV, because you’re not only wasting your fun Penn State years but you are also taking up TV time for your other roommate.
Lastly remember: communication is key. Confrontation can be very stressful, but don’t be afraid to speak up. Create an apartment meeting and speak calmly about your issues. Most of all, have fun!