Freshman year of college is a time for huge changes. One of those being you have to live with someone you don’t know. Well, let’s just say that after a few, or many, conversations with your new roommate, you realize that maybe a friendship wasn’t meant to be between you two (don’t worry it happens to the best of us). That’s ok, but you should still get along with your roommate even though you two won’t be buddy-buddy! I have 5 roommate etiquette tips for you that are sure to keep you guys cool with each other throughout the school year:
- Knock (and wait a little) before entering your room: This is kind of obvious, but it’s also easy to forget when you’ve had a long day and just want to go back your room and fall into your bed. You never know if she may be changing, or trying to do something in private so just make sure to make yourself known before barging into the room on her by accident.
2. If she had the lights off when you walked in the room…: Either leave them off and use your phone light to navigate the room, or ask her if you can turn them on. You and her may have different schedules and sometimes she may want to go to bed earlier than you. No one likes being woken up out of their sleep so be respectful of that if you walk in and the room is dark. And don’t forget to turn off the light when you’re done doing whatever you’re doing!
3. Try to be quiet when she needs quiet: Whether it be a quiet place to sleep or a quiet place to talk on the phone, everyone finds themselves in search of a silent space at some point in the day. And between you and your roommate, that quiet space may be your room! So try to be cognizant of that if you notice that she may need the room to be quiet.
4. Talk out the good ole’ roommate agreement: Yes, as much as it pains me to admit, that time-consuming little nuance that must be filled out in the beginning of every semester is actually really (really) important. You want to make sure that both of you are aware of the rules you both want to have set for the room. If not, you may accidently do something that your roommate thinks is not ok (and that’s not ok). If you feel unsure about something in the agreement, or if think there’s something that you want to add to it, let your roommate know so that you two can talk about it and potentially come up with a solution or compromise that you both like. If talking with your roommate about it isn’t an option, then consider going to your RA or your graduate hall director to talk about it. It’s important that you have your voice heard somehow (it’s your room too).
5. Stay confident: It may not be that you two are the best friends, but that shouldn’t make you feel any less of a person. No, there’s nothing wrong with you, and no it’s not “your fault.” There are still plenty of other girls to meet and befriend. Go get involved in an organization! Join an intramural sports team! I’m sure that your best friend is somewhere on this campus. You just have to go out and find her (and you will!).