Moving to college is a big step for young adults. A part of college life is having to live in the dorms with a roommate. People hear roommates and think back on all the horror stories they heard growing up about the difficulty of having a roommate. Having a roommate in college is fun and presents the opportunity to gain a friend as soon as you enter college. Here are five ways that can help you prepare to meet your first college roommate.
1. Privacy
One thing that needs to be set with you and your roommate is what to do when either of you needs the room for privacy. Sometimes, you may feel uncomfortable changing in a room with someone else. Other times, when you want to hang out with your friends but don’t want to bother your roommate, knowing each other’s schedules helps. This allows you to pick a time that works for both of you, allowing you to have the room to yourself.
2. Hygiene
“Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” that famous saying could be used in most occasions, especially when discussing hygiene with your roommate. A major goal both roommates should agree on is always keeping the room tidy. This prevents clutter from both ends and can avert any future arguments or things being stolen or misplaced due to the mess taking over the room. Enddy Zheng, a former RA at SUNY Plattsburgh, explains how important it is to coordinate with your roommate.
“I think the biggest complaint I had gotten from students on my floor is that they fight with their roommate over how dirty the room is,” Zheng said. “I always say it’s important for both parties to always clean up after themselves.”
3. Security
Something that happens quite often is a roommate might use or take something of yours without asking. One thing to make clear with your roommate is to always ask before using your stuff and vice versa. No one wants their stuff to be used without permission and just simply asking or saying something will stop future problems.
4. Communication
Simply communicating with your roommate will make both parties more at ease. A good idea is to communicate and get familiar with each other’s schedules to have a better relationship and more consideration for each other’s time. This isn’t necessary, but checking up on your roommate and communicating about more than just the room will build the relationship and make living with each other easier.
5. Friendship
Last but not least, try to be friends! Being just roommates and not hanging out outside of the room isn’t fun. Be active with your roommate and learn more about them. Living at college is all about friendships and the relationships you build; building a strong and healthy relationship with your roommate makes the college experience much more enjoyable.
APN 