College is an exciting time in your life, but with that comes living with a roommate. Often times, going into college, you’ve had your own bedroom your whole life, unless you’re one of those special people who shared a bedroom with your siblings. Going from having your own room to sharing one with someone else can be a transition, so I’m going to share the tips that I have with you!
Invest in Quality Earplugs and/or a Sleep Mask
Chances are, you’re not going to have the exact schedule as your roommate, or there will be times when you just want to crash and your roommate is swamped with homework and has to stay up late. Or maybe your roommate goes out for the night and you go to bed before they get back. My roommate has a drastically different schedule than me, so having earplugs and a sleep mask really helps me when I go to bed!
Do the Roommate Agreement
At my college, everyone has to do a roommate agreement, and I think that’s pretty standard for most colleges! It’s super important that you’re on the same page as your roommate as to prevent disagreements. And if something happens, you can always go back to your agreement and work it out.
Talk to Them Beforehand
When you first get your roommate assignment, reach out to your roommate! Get to know them, coordinate if you want to coordinate bedding/decor, and figure out who is bringing what to the room! That way you at least have a sense of who they are before you meet them. And you avoid having doubles of anything you can share! I did not realize my suitemate was bringing a Keurig, and I bought one, so we had 2. I just had my parents take mine back to the house, but if you’re from out of state that can be a task!
Establish Room Layout
Do you want to have a shared space? Or, do you want each of you to have a half of the room? This is super important to figure out. I think in most cases, people tend to want their own space! And that’s how my dorm room is set up. It’s kind of an unspoken thing, but just be mindful of your roommate’s space.
Communicate!
Communication is essential to a healthy relationship with your roommate. They’ll never know if you have a problem unless you talk to them. Likewise, it’s important to just watch out for them and at least have a civil relationship with them, which involves communication. Your roommate may not be your best friend, but you need to make sure that you are civil with each other. You may not have that best friend relationship where you’re telling your roommate everything, but it’s important to talk to them and keep up with them.
Well, those are some of my tips I’ve discovered living with a roommate! Do you have any roommate tips? Feel free to share in the comments below!
