Laughing, crying, screaming, smiling, arguing, joking, and loving are just a few emotions that my roommates make me experience each day—scratch that—each hour. Out of all that we have been through in the short six months living under the same roof, it is hard to believe that we were ever strangers. But, thinking back to the beginning stages of our unique relationship causes me to remember that it was not an easy road to go down to get to where we are today. With this in mind, I thought I would share what I have learned about roommates struggling to coexist in small dorm rooms across the country.
Cleaning:
This is by far the hardest obstacle you will have to go through. It is unreal how fast dishes can pile up along with heaps of laundry or hair products scattered across the bathroom. You have may hear the famous words, "I'll clean it up later" a few hundred times before the E.P.A. comes knocking on your door.
Tip: Create a legitimate chore list. I don't mean a petty, basic chart. Have fun with it! Color code it, sprinkle some glitter and witty illustrations next to each chore, and actually go through with it. Hang it on your fridge or somewhere that you will see multiple times a day to remind you.
Hormones
While living with multiple girls, it may seem like you can actually pluck out the hormones flying around your room. With an increasing number of fights and a decreasing amount of patience, your roommates time of the month may not be the best week to ask her if you can borrow her favorite shirt.
Tip: Make cookies. Or cupcakes. Or buy some ice cream. Or all of the above. Pastries are the key to happiness.
Money
As college students, one of the most important factors that our lives revolve around is our funds. Paying rent on time is the most important (and depressing) day of the month, but keep in mind that every penny counts each day. If you're out and pick up some toilet paper, hopefully your roommates respect that and pay you back with a nice juicy burger one day to show that they appreciate you. Shopping can be a great bonding experience for you and your roommates, but remember to stay as close to the clearance rack as possible.
Tip: They give out free coupons in the paper or magazines which is like giving out free money. Take full advantage. Also, shopping at big department stores may put a huge dent in your wallet so check out some local grocery stores to save time and money.
Food
The second most important factor in a college student's life is food. Each household may have different rules for sharing food such as the following: not sharing food at all, don't eat the last one, or (what I have found it the easiest) split the grocery bill but don't eat all the Doritos within the first hour of purchasing them.
Tip: If you have issues with your roommates eating your favorite cereal, keep a hidden stash under your bed. Or you could always invest in a safe with double locks on it, but that may lead to other issues with your roommates thinking you're crazy.
Noise and Sleep
If you go to college to find that not everyone enjoys staying up until the wee hours of the morning like you do (or vise versa), then you may have already experienced some issues relating to noise. Aside from money and food, sleep is the greatest pleasure in a student's life. With that in mind, be respectful when your roommates are cramming for an exam or getting some shut-eye.
Tip: Enforcing quiet hours after midnight is sometimes very helpful. Unless you get lucky and find roommates with the same sleep schedule as you, keep noise to a minimum late at night.
All in all, living with people other than your family teaches you tons of life lessons and ultimately helps shape you into a better person. It takes time to learn your roommates positive and negative traits as well as knowing to choose your own battles. You can make it a great experience or a terrible one, but it is up to you to determine this so choose wisely!
