- You can go to sleep whenever you want.
- I had a little situation at the beginning of the year where my roommate would go to bed significantly later than I did, but refused to compromise. She would wake up early and turn on the lights even when it was clear that I was still asleep. I was getting only four hours of sleep when I usually get around 10 hours. I realized early on that I did, and currently do, go to to bed very early (9:30), so I tried to compromise by going to bed a little late. Unfortunately, my efforts got me nothing, still no compromise was made. I did end up moving out due to the lack of sleep. I was given a dingle (double single) that was vacant. When my current roommate moved in, we had a long talk about bedtimes and how we would deal with the difference. My current roommate turns on her fairy lights (which are dim enough so I can still fall asleep) and tucks me in and then goes to do work in the lounge. On nights when I have to stay up later than she does, I tuck her in before I leave if she’s in bed and if I not I say goodnight and tell her I hope she’s asleep before 2 am (what up, radio). Communication is key when people go to sleep at different times especially if your sleep schedules aren't the same every night. This allows you to get to bed whenever you want and get the proper amount of sleep.
- You can study in your room without any distractions.
- It is wonderful to be able to come back to an empty room and plop down at your desk, but for most college students, sharing a small room with another person means you can't always do that. If you want to study in your room without any distractions, talk to your roommate. Talk about social hours and study hours. Everyone wants to be ability to work quietly without having to find another place to go study, so by speaking with your roommate, you can ensure that you will be able to study in your own room.
- You can have friends in the room.
- Having friends in your room to binge watch a favorite show is great but if it's late at night or while your roommate is studying for a hard test, maybe leave. My old roommate once brought friends into the room close to midnight. I came back after her, so I had no say in the matter. When her friends realized I was getting ready for bed, they offered to leave even after several protests from me, they left. My ex-roommate claimed I kicked them out. It is very easy to avoid this type of situations. If you plan on bringing friends into your room, text your roommate and make sure they aren't planning on going to sleep or studying. You can always go to a common space like the lounge or student union. In this case, it isn't better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.
- Having a significant other in the room.
- My current roommate has a boyfriend and they are as cute as anything. When he came to visit a few weeks ago, I offered to sleep somewhere else for the night because I wanted them to have time together (wink wink). My roommate actually felt really bad about kicking me out, but it wasn't like we didn't know he was coming or it was a random dude she hooked up with at a party. Since we planned ahead of time, I slept in my friends room and she had some quality time with her boyfriend. The second night he was over, I had to sleep in my room, though because of chronic back problems and I felt awful. Communicating about your health is also very important. If you are sick, your roommate needs to know so they can either help take care of you or stock up on their own cold medicines.
- You make the rules.
- Living alone means you don't have to worry about another human being, but by communicating, you do make the rules. There are areas you'll have to compromise in, like the fairy lights and sleeping in another room. My roommate compromises by doing homework in the lounge or a friend's room when I'm asleep and it works. We haven't fought at all, except for when I ask her to yell at me so I'll clean up. We haven't had a single spat about sleeping or homework or anything. All you have to do is talk to your roommate in a calm way and you can coexist without killing each other. You may even become very close friends.
RelationshipsDec 12, 2016
5 Reasons Communication with Your Roommate is Key
Living together doesn't have to be Hell
65
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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