Having a roommate in college means much more than just sharing a living space. That person is now a small part of your life for the academic school year, semester, or lease! There are many ways you can go about trying to co-exist peacefully and there are even extreme situations where that just can't happen. This purpose of this list is to give you the basic don't's of having a roommate.
1. You listen to all kinds of different audio without headphones.
Unless you specifically ask the other person or have some form of pre-determined consent, do not play any audio from any device! This includes, but is NOT limited to music, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook stories, that drunk video you made of you and your friends screaming into the abyss, a phone call on speakerphone, or movie.
2. You never take out the trash or clean.
Don't be the person that never takes out the trash. Mountains of trash are not aesthetically pleasing and gross. Not washing your own dishes or cleaning shared rooms like the kitchen is just immature. We are adults with busy schedules, so work out some sort of cleaning schedule.
3. You don't respect quiet time.
This one is for more than just sleeping, especially if you're an introvert. I have heard choral conductors use the phrase "frame it in silence" which simply means to remain quiet before or after you sing a song. I like to apply this to real life, specifically during the times right before or after a nap, when I come home from school, and during the evening.
4. You have guests over without warning.
This is especially important if you decide to bring a significant other over and your living situation isn't set up to where you have your own personal room. There are also times when nobody wants to see people in their house/dorm/apartment.
5. You forget to lock the door.
People are human and accidents do happen, but any habitual activity like this is worthy of moving out in my opinion.
6. You don't respect boundaries.
Don't trespass into other rooms or territories. This is especially important for roommates that aren't friends with each other. Don't try to force a friendship if someone doesn't want it and let them have their own space.
7. You have obnoxious, prolonged conversations with friends on the phone.
I'm all for keeping in contact with friends whether they're from home, the internet, or someone you met from another country! However, I shouldn't have to leave the comfort of my own place because someone is obnoxiously talking for hours.
8. You lack compassion for your fellow roommates.
Many issues you may have with a roommate can easily be solved by just sitting down and talking it out. Keep an open mind and compromise where you must.
