Living With Roommates
March 01, 2023
Nervous about roommate selection? Don鈥檛 panic. Today we鈥檙e tackling roommate conflict and giving you some helpful tips to ensure the longevity and success of your newfound roommate relationships!
When starting, it's important to have a good foundation, so keep an open mind, be friendly, and get to know one another. Have those in-depth conversations about likes and dislikes and utilize your roommate agreements as an opportunity to set and maintain expectations throughout the school year. Getting to know the small things, like how your roommate studies, how cold they like it at night, and how often they have people over, gives you both a better idea of what compromises to make in order to meet each other鈥檚 needs and maintain a healthy relationship with one another.
As the year goes on and your relationship develops, don鈥檛 forget to communicate, communicate, communicate! When a problem arises, communicating how you feel helps your roommate share an understanding of the issue at hand. Though sometimes these conversations can get heated, remember to remain calm and respectful. Listen intently and recognize ways to compromise. With this in mind, you can create a safe space that you鈥檒l both love.
Let鈥檚 say you had an issue, built up the courage to talk to your roommate, but you both haven鈥檛 been able to reach common ground. There鈥檚 awkward tension and things are getting uncomfortable. Don鈥檛 worry, you don鈥檛 have to handle this alone. Your resident assistant is your number one supporter and one of the many resources you can use to help find a solution. They can offer a listening ear and even serve as a mediator when you just can鈥檛 seem to get through to each other. If all else fails, there鈥檚 no shame in speaking to your residence coordinator and looking into a room change.
All in all, know that roommate conflict is a small blip of your college experience. Conflicts might come up, but with these tips, you鈥檒l be equipped to handle them. Focus on enjoying the journey of meeting new people and spending time with them. Having a positive outlook on roommate relationships can lead to fun in your res hall and possibly a new best friend!
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