Dealing With Roommates

Dealing with roommates can be a very daunting task. Just thinking about who your roommate's going to be makes your hands sweat. But don't worry, as long as you follow some simple strategies and be a fairly nice and reasonable person, your roommates won't bite.


1. Communicate and set clear rules at the beginning. It's important that you and your roommates  (if you have multiple roommates) establish clear rules to follow. For example, no music after 11 o'clock, no bringing friends to your room, no eating on the bed...etc. You need to communicate with your roommates from the beginning; let them know if anything is burdensome or causing a problem. They won't know unless you tell them! Agreeing on certain rules from the beginning can help avoid problems before they become problems.

2. Don't think you're going to become best friends with your roommates from the start. It's good to respect and treat your roommates nicely, but don't do so because you think you guys are going to become best friends (though it is possible).

3. Respect your roommates things. Always ask before you borrow something, and don't throw away things randomly without asking. Chances are those things could be a piece of your roommates project or something very precious to them. Not respecting someone else's property is one of the most common reasons why conflicts occur. Don't ever assume that your roommates will borrow anything, be polite and ask.

4. Be friendly and reasonable. Don't act as if you're smarter or more high class. They're going to the same college as you, so chances are they're as smart or even smarter than you (or if not, as dumb as you). Don't act very irritated all the time as if they're annoying to be with. Be reasonable, communicate, respect, and appreciate the person you're going to spend a long time with.

5. Don't judge. Never treat your roommates a certain way because of their physical appearance. You should get to know your roommates, see what they're all about and decide whether you like them.

6. Most importantly, treat your roommates like how you'd like to be treated too!