College, it's hard. Between leaving home, acclimating to your surroundings, surviving classes, and living with a complete stranger, starting off your first week to month can be quite a challenge. As for me, I've had five different roommates in the past year. Yeah, you read that right, five. You might be asking yourself, "How in the heck did that even happen to her?" Well, let me get started.
When I got accepted into college, I knew I wanted to be in a dorm to get the real feel and experience of college, but I didn't know anyone else my age going to the same school as me. So I decided to just bite the bullet and just sign up for a random roommate. It can't be that bad, right? Well, when I get my housing assignment, I found out I was in expanded housing because my school didn't have enough dorms for all the freshman, so I lived in my hall's den... with three other girls. The den itself was not bad at all, I actually quite enjoyed all the space compared to a traditional dorm room. However, there was a catch... at the end of the semester all four of us would get replaced into a different dorm room unknown to any of us with new roommates. Pretty cruel, right? We all persevered, though, and moved out of our den, and into a new room, with another new roommate. The total is now up to four by the end of my freshman year.
For some reason, I'm not sure why, I decided to play the system again and live in the dorms one more year, with another random roommate. All my friends that I made the previous year wanted to live off campus, which is fine, but I really liked the location of the dorms, so I gave it a second shot. I am now currently living with my fifth roommate. However, the count doesn't stop there. My current roommate is planning on going abroad next semester leaving me with, you guessed it, another random roommate. So by the end of my second year in college, I will have changed roommates after every semester.
Living with strangers can be super hard, especially at a large university like the one I'm at. You all come from different backgrounds, have different experiences and different interests. Not to mention different schedules, areas of study, and level of tidiness. I don't think there was anything that could've possibly prepared me for how to successfully live with a roommate, but after five shots, I think I've finally gotten it down to a science, and here are my tips to you.
1. Go in with an Open Mind
Whether or not you contacted your roommate online before meeting them in person, give them a fair shot. Some people are way different with how they communicate online or portray themselves on social media.
2. Try to Coordinate as much as Possible
If you were able to talk to your roommate before move-in, make sure you two are on the same page, so move-in can be as smooth as possible. No one wants two microwaves or clashing decorations in their room!
3. Be Flexible!
This is so crucial to getting along with your roommate. Make sure that you are willing to compromise with them on certain things like cleaning, tv volume, thermostat setting, or bedtime. Voice your opinion, listen to their's, and find a spot in the middle that works for everyone.
4. Be Considerate
If you don't want to see your roommates dirty dishes or clothes laying out, don't leave yours out! Simple as that.
5. Communication is Key
Whether you want to have a few friends over, or need to get some extra zzz's for an exam, let your roommate know! They are more likely to be considerate if you are open and kind about it. Not to mention a heads-up text never hurt anybody.
6. Your roommate doesn't have to be your BFF.
Just because you live with this person, doesn't mean you have to share your deepest, darkest secrets with them. You are already going to be spending a lot of time alone with them in your room, and you don't want to end up suffocating each other. It's nice to make other friends on your floor or from classes that you can hang out with besides relying on your roommate.
I hope these few words of wisdom really helps you co-habitate with your roommate. Whether you want to get back on good terms again, or just looking to improve your relationship with them, give these a go! I know there are probably a lot more tips out there, and if you have any I didn't mention, let me know! I'd love to hear them. And until next time, please wear your headphones when you're watching Netflix and your roommate is trying to study, it's just common sense.
