hen you get to college, you have to learn how to live with complete strangers. You're no longer in the comfort of your own home, your own bed, with your own family. Crammed into a dorm room, you're forced to live with somebody you do not know. You start to learn the ins and outs of that person-- some people get lucky and live together in peace, and some are put in a living nightmare.
After spending two years in smelly, mice-infested dorm rooms, I'm finally living in an apartment with some of my best friends. Over the past several months, I have learned so many valuable lessons from each of my roommates. Collectively, I've learned the importance of spending time not just with your friends, but especially the people that you live with. Being close with my roommates has created the most cohesive, smooth-running living environment. Though we're all busy and on sometimes completely opposite schedules, making a conscious effort to do things together keeps us from the separation that a hectic college routine can present. The following five things are the best ideas to keep you and your roommates close-- to keep a friendly and happy living environment, and ultimately, creating the memories that last you a lifetime.
1. Have weekly dinners together.
I will be the first to admit that having a weekly dinner could be the hardest thing on this list to stick to. One roommate will have a meeting, another will have a doctor's appointment, and the other will have too much homework to do. Trust me, I know it's not easy to make time for all of the things you want to do. But if you pick a set time and day for each week that you all are free (until somethings unexpected comes up), you will remember to plan ahead so you can make your roomie dinner. Not only can you fill the void of not having family with your family every night anymore, you can also experiment with new recipes, or order-in from that Indian restaurant down the street you haven't tried yet. Nothing's better than some good ol' fashioned table talk with some of your favorite people.
2. Workout together.
This is a definite win-win situation. We all know both how hard it is to be healthy and stress-free in college. Who better to motivate both of those things in you than the people you live with? Think of all the endorphins you will release! It's nice to take a trip to the school gym together, but it's even nicer to turn your living room into the perfect platform for some weird workout videos. Get your couches against the walls and get ready to laugh at how few squats each of you can do before giving up.
3. Watch movies or shows together.
You can learn a lot from what shows and movies your roommates like or don't like. The next time you see something interesting, make them watch it with you. You'll have a lot more to talk about and connect on! Funny, scary, and even sad movies are more fun to watch when you're together.
(Disclaimer: If you don't want your roommates to be mad at you, don't have them watch Season 1 Episode 3 of Black Mirror onNetflix.)
4. Set goals together.
My roommates and I have recently decided to attempt a list including challenges like, "No chips, no chocolate, no white bread," etc. for 21 days. Setting this goal for ourselves has become a process-- eliminating all chocolate and the rest of the "No's" on our list as our first step before we can begin a successful attempt at this. The number of different goals you could come up with for yourselves is endless. Holding each other accountable is fun, not to mention you're encouraging positive behavior, and friends like that are worth keeping around.
5. Try new things together
Make a list of things you all haven't done or tried, whether it's the new yoga class at the Y or the nice coffee shop downtown. Trying new things together can be as simple as trying a peculiar food or can lead to something as complex as planning a trip somewhere together. Find the people who push you out of your comfort zone-- I guarantee you'll appreciate it when all is said and done.
