Learning to Live With Others

It’s understandable that this may be the first time you are living with someone who’s not related to you or isn’t a close friend! There may be times you feel uncomfortable speaking to someone you just met but happen to live with. Luckily for  you, we got you covered with useful tips!

          Get to know your roommates! 
You do not have to be best friends with your roommate/roommates. But don’t be afraid to have conversations with them! This is the first person you are meeting once you arrive on to campus. Get to know each other’s background, each other’s likes and dislikes, and other things. This will allow you both to become familiar with what to expect for the year that follows.

          Make Agreements!
Make agreements so that you are all comfortable. This is your new home, so make it feel that way! Speak to your roommates about things you all can follow. For example, when would you want each other to have guests over? Would you be bothered if guests slept over night? What can you share and what would you like to keep to yourself? Also, don’t forget to fill out the Roommate Agreement form your Resident Advisor will be handing out. This will help so much!

         If something is bothering you, SPEAK UP! 

Nothing is worse than having a roommate who is passive aggressive. DO NOT leave notes around your room or suite saying what is bothering you but tell your roommates in person. This will solve the problem faster and easier. You are living with these people for a year, and of course there will be things that happen that you do not like, its normal! So speak up, they will understand and won’t be offended! Also, if there is a problem make sure you bring it up to your roommate first. Nothing is more awkward than having conflict and hearing it from someone else who doesn’t live there. Not all notes have to be negative! Go a step further and leave a note with something cute to brighten your roommates day.

          Respect Each Other!
Remember this is a shared living space so you want to feel comfortable as well as your roommates. The best way to do this is to respect each other! Respect each other’s belongings and space. Yes, the room may be yours but it is also someone else’s. Be courteous, and clean after yourself. This may become more of an issue when you are living in an apartment or suite because it is a larger area to keep clean so create a chore chart!