Living with someone can be awkward, strange, unsettling and downright difficult at times. Even if you are living with your best friend, things don’t always go smoothly. There are disagreements about alarm clocks and the amount of snoozes a person should be allowed, which way the toilet paper should face, what temperature to set the thermostat on and the age-old argument about who is going to take out the trash.
When incoming freshmen imagine their life at college, most of them think that their roommate will be their best friend, without ever having to work to build and maintain that relationship. In order to be a good roommate, you have to consider the other person’s feelings and have open communication. If something is bothering you, don’t hold it in until you explode. That never helps. Instead, sit down with them and talk about the problem.
The entire suite should sit down together and talk about how they want their suite to function. They need to be able to talk to the other members of their suite without having to worry about the outcome. Communication is the key to any relationship.
When you are setting the ground rules of a suite/roommate relationship, there are a few things that need to be discussed. Make a chart about who will take out the trash and when. Decide as a group what temperature the thermostat should be set at. Make a shower schedule based on preference and class time; this will eliminate stress and make mornings run smoothly.
If there is anything else you are concerned with, bring it up at the meeting. Above all, come prepared to talk.
Respect each other. Be considerate of those you are living with. If you think a room should be rearranged, get everyone else’s opinion first. Everyone has those days when they run out of soap or need one more egg for that cake they have been dying to make. When situations like this arise, and you need that certain product right that minute, ask the people you live with if you can borrow it: don’t just take it. Always offer to replace it.
Some people like to listen to music while they are getting dressed. That is fine and great, just don’t blare it. Put in headphones. Not everybody wants to start their morning by being forced to listen to “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Being tidy can go a long way toward getting the roommate of the year award. You don’t have to be a neat freak or super organized, just keep your dishes washed and stuff out of the middle of the room.
Always keep in mind that your room isn’t just yours; it belongs to three other people. Always treat others the way you want to be treated, and even if you don’t all end your college experience being best friends, at least you know you were the best roommate possible.
