The Kitchen is Neutral Ground: Tips for Surviving and Thriving with Roommates

Generally “living” with strangers can be a daunting thing to incoming freshman or transfer students. We’ve all heard the horror stories of crazy roommates who never clean up, come in loudly late at night, and cause drama with other roommates.

In reality your roommate is probably just as nervous about you! In fact, your roommates can even become some of the best friends you have on campus. Here are some tips for surviving and even thriving with your roommates:

1. The most important thing in living with your roommate(s) is the most important thing in any relationship: communication. If something is bothering you, let your roommate know! Don’t let your issue fester into something bigger.
2. Boundaries: your space is your space. If you share a room, you have your bed, your desk, your closet, etc. If you share an apartment, your room is your room. See what I’m getting at? This is your space and it is your decision to let others into that space.
3. Make Friends outside of your home. This may sound simple, but some people become such good friends with their roommates that they close themselves off to other relationships. Make friends in a wide variety of places!
4. If all things go awry, distance from your roommates is the best option. Whether that be isolating yourself in your room or hanging out with other friends for a time. Even so, you’ll still need to make peace with your roommate using tip #1 communication, because, after all, you do live together.