5 tips
for being
a good roommate
BY JOSH TOWNER
Having a roommate can be fun and exciting, but it can also be a huge source of stress.
Some of us will have the same roommate for four years, creating a genuine friendship
that even lasts a lifetime. But not everyone is that lucky, and sharing a living space
often ends with an uncomfortable breakup of sorts. While you can’t control how your
roommate behaves, here are a few things you can do to create the best possible shared
living experience.
Be respectful
The most important tip can be summed up with
the golden rule: treat others in the way you want
to be treated. You can’t expect your roommate to
respect you if you don’t respect them. Respect
their space, their stuff and their sanity. Don’t move
their things without asking for permission. Don’t
move your things to their side of the room. If they
need some personal time, get out of the room for a
little while. The more respectful you are, the more
likely they are to be respectful of you.
Keep your space clean
No one likes to see dirty clothes everywhere, an
overflowing garbage can or crumbs on the couch.
Having a clean living area is scientifically linked
to better health. Keeping your space clean isn’t
difficult, you just have to stay on top of it. As long
as you don’t let the messiness build up, you’re
never more than a minute away from having a clean
room. Plus, if you keep things clean it’s easier to
ask your roommate to do the same.
Keep the noise down
Few things are more frustrating than when
you are having trouble sleeping. Maybe it’s your
roommate loudly getting ready for their 8 a.m. class
when you don’t have class until after lunch. Or
maybe you have an early start but your roommate
is up late watching TV. Either way, no one likes
being short on sleep, so be quiet and respectful
when your roommate is trying to sleep.
Additionally, it can be difficult to focus when you
roommate is blasting music. Wear headphones if
your roommate is around, and ask them to wear
headphones if you don’t want to hear what they’re
listening to.
Try to make
a connection
It might seem like you and your roommate
have nothing in common, and maybe you don’t.
Sometimes things just don’t work out. Even so,
your roommate might surprise you. It could be
something as small as you both liking The Office,
because, let’s be real, who doesn’t like The Office?
Even a tiny shared interest can make both of you
more comfortable with your living situation. The
more you and your roommate talk, the better you’ll
get to know each other, and the easier it will be to
get along.
Communicate with
each other
Communication is crucial in having a healthy
roommate experience. Talk about ground rules
for having people over or whether or not it’s okay
to play music out loud. Talk about things they
do that make you mad. It can be uncomfortable
and scary to bring up something serious, but
talking it out is far better than letting it bottle
up. After all, your roommate might not even
know you’re unhappy with them. You can’t
expect anyone to change if they don’t know
they’re doing something wrong. At the very
least, expressing your feelings means your
roommate is aware of the situation. If things
get too hot, it’s okay to get some outside help
from an RA or student life.
QNS.COM
28 FALL 2018