In college, having a roommate is a reality not many people can escape. Being thrown into a living space with strangers is nothing short of terrifying, stressful, and complicated. Throughout my two years of living on campus, I’ve had my fair share of roommate experiences. To save you some time (and your sanity), I’ve compiled a few tips to help you live a healthy roommate life.
1. Set boundaries
Laying down some ground rules from the start is a good way to avoid road bumps in the future. Sometime soon after you’re all moved in, have a chat with your roommate so you both can make your preferences known. Write it all down and make sure you both have a copy of it for future reference. Is it okay for your roommate to eat food you bought? Would you like a heads up before the boyfriend comes over? Lay it all out, my friend. The time is now.
2. Remain flexible
One word: COMPROMISE. Don’t expect your roommate to sacrifice if you’re not willing to make sacrifices yourself. Living in a shared space means meeting in the middle. I know you feel like you need the entire refrigerator for meal prep, but you share that fridge with other people, bud. It’s not going to work that way. Be open to new ways of doing things. You never know, you may learn a new way of doing something.
3. Address problems when they arise
I’m not one to make assumptions, but I’m pretty sure your roommate isn’t a mind reader. If your roommate does something that bothers you, let them know at the earliest possible moment. Don’t hold it in and explode at a later date. Your roommate might have no idea that they’re doing something that bothers you. Before you write that passive aggressive sticky note, talk to them first. Let them know what’s bothering you so a solution can be made.
4. Make an effort
I’m not saying you have to be best friends, but getting to know the person you share a living space with probably wouldn’t hurt. Asking how their day went, or even a casual greeting every once in a while makes things a little less awkward. Getting to know your roommate also makes things a lot easier when it comes to confronting issues that may pop up in the future.
5. Be considerate
This might be the most important tip of them all. Just like you, your roommate has been suddenly thrown into a living space with someone they’ve never met and told to make it work. This experience is probably no less frightening for them as it is for you. One thing that I continue to observe daily in college is that not everybody was raised the same way I was, and it doesn’t mean their way is wrong. Something you’ve been doing your whole life may be completely different from what someone else has been doing their entire life. Take this into consideration when living with others.
I hope these tips I’ve learned from my roommate experiences bring you joy, and if anything make your life living with roommates a little less terrible. Good luck!