College is a huge change for anyone. Most daunting, however, is the idea of sharing a space with multiple other people. Everyone has their fair share of communal bathroom horror stories; it’s inevitable. Even though other people may not respect shared spaces, it is pivotal that you make an effort to respect them. So, here are some of my tips to treat shared spaces with respect.
My biggest issue in the dorms so far has been the communal bathrooms. Yes, they are gross, and yes, you should most definitely wear shower shoes. However, the worst thing you can do is leave clumps of hair in the shower. Not only is it disrespectful to those who clean the bathrooms, but it is also disrespectful to your floor mates. If you happen to shed hair, please collect it and throw it away after you’re done showering; it would be appreciated. Also, in the bathrooms, flush the toilets. It may seem so simple, but so many people forget to do it. Another thing, do NOT throw away food in the bathroom trash. There is a dumpster/trash room in your dorms for a reason; no one wants to shower in a smelly bathroom.
Another thing is laundry. Doing laundry in a dorm is a pain. The washers and dryers are always full, and you have to take two hours out of your day to do your laundry. But everyone who has ever lived in a dorm can tell you that the worst thing about the laundry situation is when people leave their things in the washers and dryers. It’s hard to find a washer/dryer to do your laundry, but it’s much worse when people take up the machines with their finished clothes. So, do everyone a favor and set a timer for when your laundry is done; really, it makes everyone’s lives easier.
When you arrive at your dorm, your resident assistant will inform you of quiet hours. However, you will soon realize close to nobody abides by them. During my first few weeks in my dorm, I was kept awake until the early morning hours by people blasting music, slamming doors, and yelling. Now, I’m not saying don’t have fun in your dorm; you can absolutely play music and have people over. But it’s disrespectful to be loud during quiet hours. Remember, you are not the only person who lives there, and people are trying to sleep. When it’s quiet hours, just try to remain as quiet and respectful as possible and that way no one on your floor will hold a silent grudge against you for keeping them up at night.
College can be daunting, especially the idea of dorming and sharing spaces with others, but it doesn’t have to be. Yes, there will be moments when others will not respect your space, but be the bigger person. It’s easy to do the abovementioned things, and everyone on your floor will appreciate it. So please follow these tips and be a respectable person.
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