Roommates are something that come with living in college, whether you are living in a dorm or apartment. It can be a drag to get those roommates who leave a mess everywhere they go or blast music at one o’clock in the morning when you’re trying to catch up on your beauty sleep. These small things can really impact your living situation at school. However, there are ways to turn a not so good situation into a better one. Here are some quick and easy tips for dealing with a tough roommate:
1. Communication
Communication is a really important skill to have, especially when it comes to living with people you may not get along with well. While talking to people about specific things that bother them is not everyone strong suit, it is important that when living with people you are able to bring up issues you are having so they don’t get swept under the rug or even just idea about how to make where you are living enjoyable for everyone around you. Using words like “I feel” or “I think” great ways to start of a conversation when talking to your roommates.
2. Set Expectations
Setting expectations is something you should do with your roommates on day one. Especially if you never lived together before. Setting expectations is important because everyone should be on the same page when it comes to house rules, basic upkeep of communal space and what not. The best thing to do is come up with “Five Golden Rules” for the apartment and then hang it up somewhere for everyone to see. That way everyone is reminded of the basic expectations they’re held to.
3. Talk in Person
This is something that is super important to do in any situation. Talking in person rather than via text allows you and your roomie to really understand what the problem is and address it head on, instead of solving an issue via text messaging. While text messaging may be easier cause your not face to face, talking in person is more effective in fixing the problem. Having a monitor like an RA or another roommate may also help with a certain situation.