No one understands what it is like to be in a triple unless you lived in one. It is important to be as positive as possible and to keep an open mind. I’m not going to lie to you, my first semester in a triple was rough, but it does not have to be. My roommates were extremely different from me and we did not always follow the basic roommate etiquette. Here are some guidelines to make your triple better.

Talk

Try to find a common denominator between the three of you. You may all love Amy Schumer or you may all love watching football games. It might make life easier if you have one thing in common. You may all like to party, so go out with each other for a night! If you realize you are polar opposites, that’s okay. At least you tried!

Include Each Other

Some triples are two roommates who requested each other with a random person. Some are just three random people. No matter what your situation is, try your hardest not to make it two roommates against your other roommate. Naturally, two people in the room may become very close. However, try not to make the third roommate feel left out, unwanted, or disrespected. Try to invite your third roommate out to a football game or a movie. If she does want to go, she probably enjoys hanging out with you guys! If she doesn’t seem interested, that’s okay too. At least you know that you made the offer.

Leave the Room

The room is small and it can feel even smaller with guests. If you want to hang out with your friends, try to go to their rooms. If you want to study with someone in your class, go to the common room or the library. If there are too many people in the room, you might want to scream.

COMMUNICATE

This may seem like a thing you should do whether you are in a triple or not, but it is very important. You should always ask about the following things:

-if you can have guests over

-if you should turn off the lights before bed

-if you can turn on music (other than headphones)

-if you can eat each others' food

-if you can leave the TV on at night

-if you can borrow anything that isn’t yours

-if the heat/AC is at a comfortable tempature for everyone in the room

-if people want the curtains opened or closed

If something is bothering you about your roommates, you should hopefully be comfortable enough to talk to them about it. If you do not feel comfortable, talk to your RA about it. That’s one of the several reasons that they are there.

Be Respectful

If you have a class at 8am and your roommates don’t, try to be as quiet as possible when you are getting ready. You might have to turn the light on to get ready or blow-dry your hair. If you do, talk to your roommates to see if it bothers them. If you like to go out on the weekends and someone is sleeping in your room, try to come back as quietly as possible.

Give Each Other Space

I cannot stress how important this is. Giving each other space can honestly make or break your experience in a triple. If you come back to your room and someone is always there, you will not get the alone time that you would like. The first year at college can be tough, so try to give everyone alone time. If you realize it is just you and one of your roommates in the room, go for a jog or text a friend to grab lunch. It can make the biggest difference to have the room to yourself for twenty minutes. The way I was able to give my roommates alone time was joining clubs and getting a job.

Be Positive

If you are in the Towers, a triple is temporary unless you decide otherwise. Make the most out of your experience. I thought I would never get out of my triple, and that was the only thing I would focus on. Now I live with an amazing roommate. It will get better.