Surviving College Life

Freshman Prep: 5 Things to Discuss With Your Roommate

September 6th, 2010 Jamie

So, you’re moving somewhere new, with a brand new roomie–fun! Make the fun last all year by getting the business side out of the way now.

1. Your Gear
Separate fridges might sound like a great idea, but with a teeny-tiny dorm room, you’ll want to keep the gear to a minimum. Chat with your roomie about who will be bringing what–TV, mini-fridge, microwave, etc.–so you don’t end up with duplicates.

2. Sleepovers
Overnight guests (of either sex) can be a touchy subject if you approach it, say, while the guest is already asleep in the room. Figure out now how you feel about friends staying the weekend, boy/girlfriends staying the night, or little sibs dropping by unannounced.

3. Sharing
Some people are happy to share anything from the food in the fridge to clothes, text books, or even their car keys, while others prefer to avoid confusion and keep things separate. Talk to your roommate (honestly) about your sharing preferences, and try to find a common ground.

4. Ground Rules
While sleepovers and sharing are usually the most debated issues, there are lots of other little things–from study habits to how many times you can hit the snooze button–you might want to settle ahead of time. Check out this handy article about laying down some ground rules to help keep the peace.

5. Each Other
If your roommate isn’t feeling anti-social, try to learn a little bit about his/her personality, family, likes and dislikes, and share something about yourself, too. Finding common ground now will make your first few days together way more fun.

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Entry Filed under: roommates