College is great and living in your first apartment is even better. The freedom, the fun, the parties, the roommates - all of it is amazing. Actually, wait. Let's back up to that last part about roommates.
Don't get me wrong here, living with roommates is great. You constantly have a friend to hang out with, someone to keep you company, their closet doubles as yours and so much more. However, there's something people fail to warn you about.
You are going to fight, probably a lot. It will almost always be about the pettiest things too. They're going to borrow your things without telling you. They're going to eat your food, a lot. Honestly, this will be your biggest fight because it is going to happen ALL the time. Next, you are going to argue about cleaning your apartment. (Side note: a cleaning schedule is NEVER going to work. You will try it and it won't work.) Clothes will be borrowed and never seen again. You're going to want a quiet night in and the rest of the house may have other plans. The arguments are always going to come no matter how hard you try and avoid them. I've come to notice the more people you live with and the smaller the living space, more fights are to come. The things you'll fight about are endless. HOWEVER, the fights aren't worth it.
While arguing with your roommates is unavoidable, it isn't the end of the world and there are ways to prevent things from getting out of hand.
1. Address your concerns early
Do not wait. The longer you hold back what is upsetting you, the worse the fight will be. Most of the time huge fights can be avoided if you speak your mind (in a kind way) early when a problem arises.
2. Pick and choose your battles
Not every fight has to be a fight. Living with your friends is so awesome, so don't spoil it for yourself by fighting over every little detail of your lifestyles. People live differently which means quirks and funky habits have to be accepted to make the living situation work.
3. Choose your words wisely
Not every fight is going to be avoidable. Therefore, when you do fight, think before you speak. Make sure that you really explain the point you want to get across to them. Nobody likes feeling like they're being attacked. Your roommate will be more receptive to what you're saying if you aren't screaming and calling them names.
4. Don't be afraid to tell them no!
It is ok to say that you don't want to go out tonight. It is okay to say what you think. Don't settle when you really feel a certain way and then allow yourself to go crazy over it. You don't have to spend every minute together and you don't always have to agree. Knowing and understanding this is crazy important.
5. Get to know, and I mean really know, your roommates
I am talking about before you live together and during. Talk about your partying habits, study habits, cleaning habits, ALL the habits. A lot of stress can be avoided if you know more about your roommates' lifestyles. Also, get to know them while you live together. Take advantage of the fact that you get endless sleepovers with your potential best friends. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for most people.
