How to navigate living with a roommate

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

This article was written by a student author from the chapter “Her Campus at Cal State Chico.”

Whether you live in a dorm, an apartment or a townhouse; In college, living with a roommate is almost inevitable. For many people, their roommate becomes one of their closest friends on campus, but for others, this is not always the case. I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories about roommates, perhaps experienced a bad roommate, or even been the “crazy roommate.” But many problems that arise throughout the year stem from an inherent problem: a lack of communication. Boundaries are important to keep your shared space a comfortable place. So… how do you hire them and keep them?

Let’s talk about it!

Sleep schedules

This is especially the case if you and your roommate share a room, such as a dorm room or a large bedroom in an apartment/house. Most likely, your sleep schedules will be different depending on your classes or how much sleep you need/want in general.

Discuss all of the following with everyone in the common room:

• When you normally go to sleep
• When you wake up
• How many alarms you normally set
• If you are a heavy or light sleeper

Whether you and your roommate need to compromise is up to you, but this could prevent pent-up resentment from waking up at 6 a.m. without warning.

cleanliness

For many people, college is their first time living alone. Mom and Dad aren’t there to do your laundry, cook you dinner, and — worst of all — force you to clean your room. However, it is important to set expectations with your roommate regarding the cleanliness of the room/area.

Remember, it’s a divided Space.

Assign tasks in the common areas to each roommate, such as: B. Taking out the trash, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, etc.

When it comes to your own mess (your dishes, your desk, and your bed), try to motivate yourself to clean. No one will always have a spotless room, but it is also an expectation that you be considerate of those around you. If you have problems, don’t be afraid to communicate with your roommate so they know and can understand.

This all ensures both a routine with everyone in the room and a clean living area!

Noise

You only realize how much noise you make on a daily basis when you’re forced to share a room with a stranger: playing loud music while you get ready, Facetime conversations with your phone on speaker, watching movies and TV shows You can adjust the volume and much more that you normally only do in your room.

However, most of this is a no-go if you live with another person and share a room unless your roommate agrees. Of course, you can set boundaries and rules when talking about noise.

For example, my roommate and I have talked about how we don’t mind if the other person is on the phone, playing soft music, etc., but if one of us tries to work or study, we either stay quiet or go into the apartment Living room.

Visitors

You have friends.

Your roommate has friends.

There is no doubt that people come and go in your space.

That doesn’t mean you have to be okay with people you don’t know coming to you all day every day. Balance and communication are key. Always inform your roommate when you have visitors before You come over and have the same expectations of your roommate.

This gives you and your roommate an opportunity to prepare for a guest or to communicate to each other that you are not comfortable with a visitor at this time and negotiate a compromise.

Additionally, as a host, make sure all your guests respect your roommate and their space. Do not let them sit on your roommate’s bed or chair (unless you have given permission) and do not allow them to touch your roommate’s personal belongings.

With all that being said, college is a learning experience. You will probably argue with your roommate, but maybe not. At some point you forget to do the dishes or leave old food on your desk. Nobody is perfect, not even you. That’s why it’s all about simply communicating.