Having roommates is so much fun. But, whether your roommate is your best friend or you went random on the housing application, living with someone 24/7 is a huge change. It can be one of the hardest transitions in college! Here are some tips that can help you live with other people:
1.) Learn to speak your mind. If you’re like me, you’re pretty passive-aggressive. Okay, very passive-aggressive. Which can be both good and bad, but when it comes to dealing with other people, it’s usually the latter. It’s natural to want your roommates to like you (especially at first when you just need someone to go eat dinner with), but constantly walking on tiptoes around each other is EXHAUSTING. The “I don’t care, what do you want?” can only go on for so long. Speaking your mind is not a bad thing, and your roommates don’t care that you have preferences or opinions. It can actually serve to help you all get to know each other.
2.) Keep your space neat(ish). This one is difficult. Living in a small room with two or three girls can be overwhelming when everyone leaves their stuff out. So do your part by trying to tidy up every now and then. It also helps to set aside one day every week or two to do a deep clean of the whole room (sweeping, disinfecting, the works). It may seem tedious, but it will be worth it when you don’t find dust bunnies in every crevice.
3.) Compromise. Odds are, you and your roommate(s) are very different people. That means disagreements are bound to come up. Which is good! College is about getting away from what you’re used to and meeting people who are different. However, since you live together, it’s important that disagreements don’t go on for too long. This can create uncomfortable tension for unnecessary reasons. Letting someone else “win” occasionally means that you can keep the drama on the DL and, as long as it’s not a life-altering thing you’re compromising on, that makes it worth it.
Living with roommates is one of the most fun, challenging, exciting, and educational experiences you will have in college. Those girls have the potential to be your lifelong friends, but even if you don’t end up super close, it’s important to establish a good relationship.