My freshman year of college I roomed with my best friend from high school and two other girls we had never met before. Every year, thousands of college students do something similar. Selecting "random" on the housing form comes with a huge risk; sometimes roommates just don't get along, and sometimes they can't stand each other.
It can be easy to start hating your roommates and forget what you guys possibly have in common. A good solution to this is to take some time and reconnect with each other in a lighthearted, stress-free way.
Here are 5 easy, fun activities to do with roommates.
1. Weekly (Terrible) Movie Nights
A friend of mine said during his Freshman year he and his roommates would get together once a week and watch a terrible movie. During the movie they were allowed to talk about and make fun of it, and afterwords they discussed what exactly made it so bad. Not only did this allow for lighthearted discussion, doing it once a week encouraged them to do something together and relieved stress.
2. Book Clubs
If you're all readers, every few months or once a semester pick a book and have everyone in the dorm read it. It's fun to talk about the book with everyone else while you're reading it and it gives everyone in the dorm some common ground. At the end of the semester, everyone can get together and talk about the book.
3. Holiday Parties
Planning the part can be almost as fun as the party itself. Pick a holiday that you all celebrate and plan a party for it. Get a pool of money going to get supplies, and find a food that everyone can enjoy.
4. Game Night
Once every few weeks or so, get together and play some type of game. My roommates and I did this with monopoly, war, and Cards Against Humanity. It's a competitive, fun way to relax in the evening.
5. A Night Out
At the beginning of the semester, plan out a night out for everyone in your dorm to enjoy. As the months go on, everyone should donate some spare change to a night out fund, and at the end of the semester use the money to carry out the party plans.
