College has started and chances are that you are now getting pretty acquainted with your roommate. Just like many new employees at a job, you may be starting to get pretty comfortable with your roommate. However, how comfortable is too comfortable? Think about it. A lot of freshmen have only lived with family, and family will love you forever, with all of your weird quirks. With roommates, that does not seem to be the case. Your seemingly normal habits in all likelihood could freak out the people with whom you live. Below are some good ideas and rules to follow to help both you and your roommate to have the best roommate situation possible!
1. Gauge Your Roommate for Appropriate Behavior
This one seems pretty obvious, but you would be surprised at the amount of people that do not seem to "have home training." Inconsiderate behavior such as walking into your dorm at 2:30 a.m. when your roommate has class at 8 in the morning is positively disgruntling to your roommate. If you and your roommate both happen to be 21, it is probably not a good idea to get drunk every night while your roommate is trying to study or sleep. A good way to prevent this is to establish some ground rules, even on things that you think are common knowledge. Doing this is a good way to keep the good vibes flowing right from the very beginning. You can keep the friendship well and have a good relationship with your roommate, thus making your college experience better.
2. It Isn't Your House Anymore — Everything Isn't Yours
When I lived at home, I would usually grab the leftover Mac 'N' Cheese and eat all of it. Well, I'm not at home anymore, and odds are that my roommate and I don't even have any Mac 'N' Cheese, much less enough to have leftovers. You need to make sure your roommate won't mind you’re going to touch anything that belongs to him. If you just gobble up all of his food, and he comes back from a hard day really wanting that half a slice of pizza, the first thing he can grab might be coming toward your head. This goes with anything that isn't yours, like printers, video games, food, supplies, etc. What may seem harmless to you may ruin your roommate's week. Be a buddy, ask your roommate first!
3. Be Courteous When Inviting Friends, Especially "Friends," Over
Picture this: You're out in the main quad playing with a Frisbee with your friends when suddenly a very attractive girl walks by. Being the suave prince charming that you are, you walk over and enchant her with a magical tale about how you saved a chipmunk with the exact Frisbee you're holding. If you’re the luckiest man on the planet, she'll agree to come over to your dorm so you can show her how you beat the chipmunk killers. Now what could possibly go wrong?! What if your roommate is home and you have no set protocol for these situations? Nothing is more awkward than trying to score with your lady friend while your roommate is in a bed 5 feet away. You both need to set up a plan in the event that you invite a female companion back to the dorm. Where would the roommate go? How long should you have the room for? (You don’t need three hours, playboy). This also works with regular friends if you don't want your roommate listening to every conversation. You should agree on what's appropriate behavior for social gatherings.
4. The Noise -- And We're Not Talking About the TV
Let's face it, people are like animals. They like to herd, some are hairy, and some are loud. People are the same way. I'm not saying being loud is a bad thing, but some people who are on the quieter side do not want to sleep in a room with Ozzy Osbourne. While you can't change who you are, you are able to tone it down for your roommate's sake. If your roommate is essentially a mute person, I suggest not requesting the same roommate next year. However, for the remainder of your tenure as roommates, try to keep it down. Trust me, you'll be a cooler person to your roommate and you'll probably be able to keep a roommate.
