At Queen’s, it seems like it’s more common for houses to split up than to stay together. Obviously there are some problems you just can’t fix, but here are five things you can do as a house to keep things peaceful:
1. Rotate your chores.
Equally splitting chores and switching them on a weekly basis keeps things fair and ensures a clean (ish) house. Make a wheel with all the chores (kitchen, bathroom, floors, garbage, etc.) and rotate it every week to make sure everyone does their fair share of the harder ones. Just remember to only have as many chores as housemates!
2. Let it out!
Very few people enjoy confrontation but it’s important to voice your problems as they come up instead of letting negative feelings build up. Semi-regular house meetings are a great way to voice your concerns in a mature and calm way.
3. Be humble.
Nobody is perfect and that includes you. When you find yourself getting annoyed at some of the things your housemates do, remember that you definitely do things that bother them as well. Everyone is one big annoying family! Woohoo!
4. Set boundaries.
Most housemate problems come from a lack of communication. Be sure to set boundaries, whether they be for food, personal space or time. It’s difficult to live in a shared space but creating clear lines between personal and shared will help avoid confusion.
5. Have a dance party.
Yes it’s cliché, but for a reason. Dance parties work wonders for the soul and bring everyone together. Just try it.