5 Roommate Common Courtesies

A good roommate can sometimes be hard to come by. Living with someone in a small, cramped room can be hard, especially if you haven't known them long or even at all! Here are a few small things to do and ways to make sure you're a good friend and even better person to live with.

1. Respect each other's belongings.

Your roommate may be OK with you sharing each other's things, but be sure to treat them like your own. Make sure to set boundaries and don't be afraid to tell them if you don't like it when people sit on your bed, for example.

2. Keep your side neat(ish).

OK, so you don't have to be the cleanest and neatest person ever, but keeping the clutter to a minimum or even a specific pile is important when sharing a room. No one wants to live in a room that's equivalent to a ball pit of clothing.

3. Don't listen to your music too loudly.

Unless you're both having your daily dance party, then keep music volume low or plug in headphones. Don't be obnoxious, especially if you're into death metal music that your roommate might not "get down" to.

4. Don't wake up your roommate when they're sleeping.

We all know that in college, sleep can be sometimes hard to come by. Being rudely awoken from a nap can really ruin someone's day. I know when I get woken up from a nap, I'm really cranky the rest of the day.

5. Don't leave opened food out.

Dare I even say cockroaches? Honestly, any kind of bug in my room would unsettle me and opened food increases the chance of having some creepy crawly visitors.