Whether you have a pesky roommate that tramples on every one of your last nerves or a roommate you genuinely adore (your best friend), chances are, no matter who your roommate is there are times when you wish you had your separate spheres.
Maybe your roommate snores too loudly or leaves dishes lying around. Whatever the case, here are some rules to keeping the peace:
If you don’t know each other, make the effort to
Soon enough, you’ll be around each other a lot more than you might expect. So take some time to get to know each other. Maybe do so by throwing a house-warming party, that way you can introduce them to your friends as well. Maybe you guys will all get along! Another upside of getting to know each other off the bat is that you’ll learn their habits, likes and dislikes, which may make living together easier in the future.
Remember you need personal space
As buddy-buddy as you and your roommate may turn out to be, you’re still going to occasionally need time and space to yourself. Designating areas that are exclusively yours may not be the friendliest thing to do so if you’re not keen on that, maybe try letting your roommate know beforehand when you need some down-time or agreeing to a “do not disturb” sign to put up on the door in certain circumstances. If you see that your roommate needs space, or maybe you do, take it upon yourself to separate and maybe go for a walk or to the library. Also, remember not to take it personally that your roommate may not want to be attached at the hip 24/7. In the long run, having your own personal space and time apart may help you get along better together!
Treat your roommate as you’d like to be treated
As corny as it sounds, you want to be respected and so does your roommate. LISTEN to what they have to say and take their concerns seriously. If your music is too loud, turn it down! If they’re in the bathroom, don’t barge in, wait your turn. If they marked something in the fridge for themselves, don’t shrug your shoulders and retort “finder’s keepers”. You wouldn’t want anyone doing that to you.
Make your own roommate rulebook
Why not sit down together and make up your own set of rules and expectations? Outline things like who is responsible for what, how many friends are allowed over at once and such issues that may pose a problem in the future. Be straight up and remember, communication is key!
