Roommate: one of the most exciting parts about growing up and moving out of your parents’ place, right? You get to choose the friend you live with and start fantasizing about how cute your living room is going to be or the banging shindigs you’ll host together. This can be where everything heads south. Without proper boundaries, best friends can turn into worst enemies over the biggest killer of roommate etiquette: communication.
When I was a freshman in college, I didn’t get along with my roommate. We were complete opposites and we almost never saw eye to eye. She was an early bird and I was a night owl, she was shy and liked to watch movies while I had an “open door policy” and barely even watch television. We never actually talked about what bothered each other. However, there was plenty of pettiness as well as some passive aggressive actions and I always felt like I was walking on eggshells. I vowed after that, that I would always make it a point to get along with my future roommates. No matter the circumstance. If you want to hear about all my past roomies, that would be another whole post on its own!
Being somebody’s roommate is like being a significant other – you have to find middle grounds, be supportive of each other in tough times and make compromises. When you sign your lease, you are in it for the long haul (or a year, which could seem like the long haul if you guys don’t get along). This specific person has to be trustworthy in your eyes. I’m shocked at how many people live with people they don’t trust. You should be able to believe that your most precious belongings are safe in the arms of this person when they’re completely alone.. because that’s exactly what you’re doing. It’s cliché but communication is key. You must have real conversations, in person, about what you like or if you hate when the shower curtain is left open. You wouldn’t leave your parent's sticky notes saying “take out the trash :)” would you? Then don’t do it to your roommate either.
There are some things you would only tell your roommate, some things you would never tell your roommate but because you live together they have to know and some things your roommate knows about you that you wished nobody else in the world would know about and it’s all because their room shares a wall with yours. This creates a special bond, no matter how close of friends you are or aren’t. Make the most of it. You only get to have this experience during a certain age before you get married and move into suburbia to calm down. In most cases, your roommates are people who will make a huge impact on your life – you want to choose the best for yourself.
So next time you find yourself looking for a new living situation, make sure you take the time to really get to know who you’re going to share 800 square feet and one bathroom with. Remember the golden rule to treat others how you would like to be treated. Make sure you set ground boundaries and most importantly, stop leaving your dirty dishes in the sink.
