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Living on campus can be both a rewarding and a challenging experience. Students who live on campus experience many benefits ranging from being more involved in the university community to higher GPAs. However, for many students this is the first time they have shared a room with someone else. Use this important information and key strategies to help create a successful experience with your roommates.
Creating a Roommate Agreement
A Roommate Agreement can help you and your roommate(s) develop common goals and guidelines for your room. It typically covers all issues that are important to you and your roommate(s), such as guests, noise, sharing food, clothes, and other items. Your Resident Assistant (RA) can assist you and your roommate(s) in developing a roommate contract that will work best for your room.
Remember, a Roommate Agreement will only be successful if you and your roommate(s) adhere to the guidelines set forth in it. It is important to revisit the contract occasionally to make sure it is still working for your room.
Printable Roommate Agreement
Helpful Hints for Working with your Roommate
College may be the first time that many people are sharing their room and their personal space. This can be very stressful. Simply expressing this concern to your roommate can help to alleviate this stress and make you both aware of that potential problem area. It is very important to have open lines of communication so that things can be resolved and dealt with before they get out of control.
1. Common Belongings
Discuss, in advance, which large items you will each bring and what you will share. Televisions, refrigerators, and microwaves are items that you will usually only need one of. Coordinate these things before you move in to avoid showing up with multiple items.
2. Sleep, Study and Social Habits
Not everyone goes to sleep and wakes up at the same time. Your schedules are going to be different and you need to respect that.
If your roommate needs to study and you have some free time to watch TV or listen to music there needs to be an understanding of how this will be handled. One of you may want to go to a study lounge or the library or your friend's room, or perhaps headphones can be worn to eliminate the problem of noise.
Everyone is going to have friends over at one time or another. It can be helpful to set up some ground rules on the hours that guests are acceptable. This room is shared and both of you need to be comfortable in it.
3. Potential Areas for Conflict
- Cleaning - some roommates are fanatic about cleaning while others prefer a more relaxed approach to straightening up. Realize that there are differences here and try to come up with a happy medium. One thing that may help is to come up with a cleaning plan, especially if you share a common area or bathroom.
- Sharing - many arguments arise out of one roommate assuming an item is a shared good. Make these lines clear right from the start and if there is ever a question, always err on the side of caution and ask for permission.
- You - be aware of your own quirks and habits. You are new to this roommate and they do not know you very well yet. Or you may have been friends before, but living together is a new experience. Always be respectful of your roommate and the needs and expectations that he or she has of you. Be flexible. Living with a roommate can be hard work but it can also be very rewarding.
4. How to Handle Conflict
Before there is a problem that needs to be discussed it may be helpful to work out a plan for dealing with potential problems. Confront issues as they happen and don't allow them to build up over time.