These are just some very important do's and don'ts I think everyone knows, or should know. Most of them or all of them are pretty much common sense, but if you need some specific tips on avoiding conflict with your roommate(s) then keep on reading.
Do not touch their personal items without permission.
I know you've heard this a million times, but really, this is just common sense. Don't touch anything that isn't yours, and especially if it's your roommate's. If he or she came to find that you took something or used something without asking, they might just flip out.
Do not take advantage of the shared space.
For example, if you have the room all to yourself a weekend and you have some friends over, don't let your friends trash your roommate's side. Just let your friends chill on your side of the room and don't make a mess the room. If you do, clean it up.
Do not push boundaries.
When I say do not push boundaries, I mean like don't second guess yourself. If you think that there's a chance your roommate might not like what you're about to do in your room, then don't do it.
Do not sleep with their significant other.
This one is pretty straightforward. I've heard a lot of stories of friendships being destroyed, because of these types of situations. Just don't do it.
Do respect your roommate.
So maybe your roommate hits the snooze button five times every morning. Try to resist the temptation to get back at them, because returning respect for rudeness may not change anything, but it also might. One thing is definitely for sure, retaliating can only make matters even worse. Treat others how you would want to be treated.
Do be willing to listen to what your roommate has to say.
Everyone has a story, and sometimes some issues can run deeper than they seem. Taking time to listen to a roommate talk about what's bothering her or what's making him/her upset is a good thing to do. Sympathy and patience increases, and supporting your roommate would be the nice thing to do.
Do be flexible with each others schedules.
You might get the urge to stay up late and binge-watch Netflix while your roommate is studying for a test in the morning. Living with another person means you both have to make some compromises to accommodate each other. In this situation, plug in some headphones so that your roommate can concentrate on their studies.
Do keep a healthy distance.
Everyone needs space, so make sure you each have time away from each other. This can be for anyone, though, not just your roommate. You can love your roommate to death, and be the best of friends, but you most likely wouldn't want to feel suffocated, so just do the same for your roommate.
Hopefully, this helped clear up any things you didn't know you should and should not do regarding roommate issues.
