Living in the dorms comes with plenty of perks, such as being just steps from your classes, but it also has its fair share of challenges. After all, living in close quarters with someone you just met can be tough. Find out how to keep the peace and get along with your assigned roommate.
Share Your Expectations
Before the two of you start unpacking your things, connect with your new roommate to share your expectations. Tell your roommate about your daily habits, such as keeping an early schedule or studying with music. Let your roommate know some of the things you need to be happy, such as having quiet time to yourself every evening or welcoming friends to your room every Saturday. If you’re a neat freak or on the messy side, tell him or her right away so you both know what to expect.
Communicate With Your Roommate
Whether you’ve shared a room with a sibling for years or this is the first time you’ll be in such close quarters with someone else, communication is key when you’re living with a roommate. Even if you tend to keep things to yourself, it’s essential to address problems when they’re minor rather than waiting for them to blow up into a huge fight. Try setting aside 30 minutes each week to talk over any issues and make sure you’re both happy.
Respect Each Other’s Things
Just because you feel comfortable wearing your roommate’s clothes or borrowing her textbook for a mutual class doesn’t mean she feels the same, even if you invite her to use your things, too. Before you borrow anything, talk with your roommate about his boundaries. He may expect you to ask permission before borrowing each individual item, or he might welcome you to use anything he isn’t using. Find out where both of you stand, and make it a priority to respect each other’s things.
Think Twice About Inviting People Over
You might love creating a social vibe and jump at the chance to invite friends or classmates to hang out in your room. That doesn’t mean your roommate wants to share her space constantly, though. Talk with your roommate about when it’s okay to have friends over and when you both need quiet time. If you don’t see eye to eye, always try to compromise. You might not be able to host your study group every week, but inviting them over every other week might be a reasonable compromise.
Don’t Expect to Be Best Friends
One of the great things about college is that you’ll have the chance to meet hundreds or thousands of new people. You won’t connect instantly with all of them, and you can’t expect to be best friends with your roommate, either. If the two of you hit it off, you could make a lifelong friend. But if your roommate isn’t friend material, don’t stress. You can still be friendly, respect each other, and enjoy living together without being best friends forever.
Whether you can’t wait to live with a roommate or you’re dreading sharing your space, you can make it a good experience for both of you. Keep these tips in mind for maintaining the peace and getting along with your assigned roommate.