By Jordan Allison
It’s that time. Time to say goodbye to your best friends, family, pets, hometown, and possibly your significant other. It’s also time to say goodbye to having your own room. If you’re like most people, you have had your own room for your whole life. And again, if you’re like most people, you’ll be sharing a room with somebody else in college. This is a huge transition, but not as scary as it sounds! We have some tips for staying organized and sane while you get used to living with another person.
1. Stay organized.
Staying organized is absolutely vital to all things in college, including your dorm room. If you and your roommate don’t take time to keep things at least somewhat organized, madness may very well ensue. Before you know it, your room will look like it’s been hit by a tornado. Your roommate’s stuff will be all over your desk, you can’t find your favorite bra, and your roomie is complaining about not knowing the whereabouts of her textbooks. While some can function in a mess, it’s usually worth it to keep things at least in an organized mess.
2. Take “me” time.
For many of us, our bedrooms at home are our perfect, personal little space where we can retreat after a rough day. Unfortunately, in college, you have to share this space with another person. This can be great because you always have someone to vent/laugh/cry to, but for those of us who like some alone time, this can be tough. Utilize the time when your roomie is gone, and if you can’t do that, find a favorite spot on campus and make it yours. It’s important to not be with your roommate all of the time, because believe it or not, you and your roommate will get sick of each other sometimes. Always having a place to go alone will definitely help you make the transition to college.
3. Set up rules and boundaries with your roommate before it gets too late.
I know those “Roommate Agreements” that we have to do in the dorms are annoying, and we tend to just make jokes about them. But you’ll regret not taking it seriously when your roommate won’t pick up her used food wrappers off the floor. If you take the Roommate Agreement seriously, you will be able to refer to it when things get crazy.
4. Respect.
If you want your roomie to respect your stuff, do the same for her. If she isn’t comfortable with your boyfriend spending the night in your room, then respect those wishes. Chances are, this shouldn’t be a problem. She should respect your wishes as well. If she decides to not listen to you when you ask her to not play super loud music at 3 in the morning, then refer to number 3. If reviewing your roommate agreement doesn’t make a difference, talk to her about it in an adult manner, and do your best to be civil no matter how disrespected you feel. Respect is key in any relationship, and if your roommate isn’t willing to do that, then it might be time to rethink your living arrangements.
5. Have fun!
It’s definitely possible to become best friends with your roommate. Keep an open mind about this, because it might happen, but it might not. Don’t push yourself on each other, but get to know your roommate as well as you can. You might find that you two have a lot in common. As long as you stay organized, take time for yourself, set up boundaries and respect each other, the fun will come without any work. Try to make the most of living with a roommate. It’s a pretty unique experience, and can be the most fun you’ll have in college.