Dealing with Space Issues
When living in a residence hall room with one or even two or three other people, space can become an issue. It is important that all roommates have equal space in the room.
Furniture
In an additional occupancy room where having equal amenities may be an issue, this is more difficult. In this situation, sit down with your roommates to develop a plan to share the furniture. Communication is the key to making this kind of a situation work.
Cleanliness
When discussing space issues, it is also important to discuss cleaning and shared spaces (such as a suite common area or bathroom). Discuss what an acceptable level of cleanliness is. Then develop a cleaning schedule and stick to it. If you believe that one roommate is not sticking to the agreed upon plan, then talk about the situation with them. If you need assistance to do this, see your RA.
Extra Help
A roommate agreement can help to set guidelines. If you have created one of these then it may be helpful to refer back to it from time to time. Keep it current and to make sure it still applies to your roommate situation. Ask your Resident Assistant (RA) for help creating a contract.
Visitors in Your Room
Most students like to have their friends visit them in their residence hall room. However, this can become a problem when a guest is there so frequently that you have another roommate.
Important Things to Know
- At BSU a visitor any anyone that does not live within a specific room, suite, apartment - even if they are BSU students and live in that same residence hall.
- Visitors are only permitted within a room/suite/apartment if all residents are in agreement on the visitor being able to come to visit.
- If a roommate is not respecting their roommate(s)' wishes pertaining to having or not having visitors, then the RA can be utilized as a resource in resolving the problem.
Before you and your roommate(s) start inviting people to stay over it is important to discuss limits on visitors. These are some questions you should come to a resolution on:
- Are there times when guests cannot be in the room?
- Are overnight guests permitted?
- Are you comfortable with overnight guests of the opposite sex?
- Can guests come over when you are not in the room?
- Is there a limit on how many guests you are comfortable with being in the room?
- Can guests use the shared suite bathroom to shower?
Extra Help
A roommate agreement can help to set guidelines. If you have created one of these then it may be helpful to refer back to it from time to time. Keep it current and to make sure it still applies to your roommate situation. Ask your Resident Assistant (RA) for help creating a contract.
Night Owl vs. Early Bird
This can be a difficult one for roommates to negotiate. There are students who prefer to go to bed earlier and get up early. Invariably, some of these students will end up living with students who prefer to go to bed late and sleep in. If you find yourself in this situation there are a few things you and your roommate(s) can do to successfully live in this challenging situation.
- Talk about it - This is one of the most important things to do. Be sure to discuss what your preferences are and then figure out how to compromise if needed.
- Determine what is important to you - If you need the room to be dark and silent, you could invest in a face mask and a pair of earplugs so your roommate can have the desk light on to study. If you need music to sleep, but this won't work for your roommate, consider investing in headphones to listen to your nightly music.
- Be flexible - There will be points in the semester when either you or your roommate's sleeping habits will change due to exams or a large project. Be willing to work with your roommate to compromise in these situations.
Extra Help
A roommate agreement can help to set guidelines. If you have created one of these then it may be helpful to refer back to it from time to time. Keep it current and to make sure it still applies to your roommate situation. Ask your Resident Assistant (RA) for help creating a contract.
Drugs and Alcohol
If you or your roommate has a problem with drugs or alcohol, please speak with your Resident Assistant (RA) or Resident Director (RD) for help. This may be an issue of alcohol intoxication, uncontrollable behavior, unsafe behavior, or addiction.
You may also find these campus resources helpful for yourself or your roommate.
- Counseling Center
- Health Services and Outreach Education
- Campus Police
- Office of Student Conduct
If your roommate is doing something that makes you uncomfortable then communicate with your roommate to address your concerns. You may also find speaking with your RA or RD to be helpful, as they are there to assist you and are trained to deal with these problems.