Making you the best roommate ever!

August is here, and many first-year students are starting to imagine what post-secondary life will be like, with so many new people to meet and exciting on-campus events to enhance their student experience. For many, another major milestone of the first year of post-secondary is moving away from home for the first time. While thoughts of fun and independence fill your mind, the fear of having bad roommates might creep into your dreams.

Despite the many horror stories, living with roommates – who will most certainly be people you don’t know – comes with challenges and rewards. You’ve probably heard how living together can ruin friendships, so setting some ground rules is essential to avoid issues.

The reality is that having problems with your roommate can directly affect your academic performance. However, with a few steps, you can enjoy a stress-free dorm or student house life.

Follow these essential roommate etiquettes to ensure a harmonious living environment with your roomie.

Set boundaries

Living in a shared space can make it challenging to maintain a sense of personal space, but an early discussion to set boundaries can be a game changer.

Personally, I recommend setting boundaries for three specific areas: personal space, privacy and shared space. First, respect each other’s belongings and bedrooms. Knock before entering your roommate’s room and don’t use their things without permission. Even in a shared dorm, everyone needs some time for themselves, so be mindful of their privacy and think twice before initiating interactions. Finally, shared space, and here is where the talk gets serious.

Think of this as a red line dividing the dorm into equal parts. In the kitchen, designate specific shelves in the cabinets and fridge for each person. The same applies to the bathroom; make sure everyone has space to store their personal items like toothbrushes and razors.

Setting these boundaries early on fosters a sense of privacy and promotes a peaceful living environment in your dorm. In case any issues come up, speak about them as they arise so they can be addressed quickly.

Communicate about guests

Before we dive into specific roommate etiquettes, if you’re going to live on-campus, be sure to check the dorm policies regarding guests.

Having guests over typically isn’t a problem, but it’s crucial to communicate and be on the same page about who will be visiting the dorm. Whether your guest is staying for an hour or overnight, make sure to let your roommate know in advance.

Encountering unexpected guests can lead to disturbances and make it difficult for your roommate to enjoy the shared areas. So ensure you’re on top of your communication game and always give notice of incoming guests to ensure a harmonious environment.

Clean, clean again and clean a bit more

When living with others, it’s important to keep shared spaces clean not only for yourself but for your roommates as well. No one wants to come home after a long day of classes to find the kitchen cluttered with dirty dishes.

First, define what “clean” means to everyone. I know this can sound obvious to you, but people have different standards of cleanliness. Discussing this upfront with your roommates ensures everyone is on the same page. Cleaning is particularly important when it comes to preventing food allergies and maintaining the bathroom for personal use.

A practical approach is to divide chores among roommates to be completed weekly. I speak for myself – in my student house, we have weekly chore rotations, and the shared spaces are always neat and tidy. By splitting the chores equally, you can avoid the need for an exhaustive deep clean every couple of months.

Don’t wait until you start having issues to establish a cleaning routine. Be proactive and communicate with your roommates from day one. While most people don’t like cleaning, everyone appreciates living in a clean space. By setting up a chores schedule early on, you’ll also be preventing roommate conflicts.

State quiet hours

Sleeping and post-secondary education aren’t exactly synonyms. You might walk home from a mid-day class and find your roommate taking a power nap to recharge for the rest of the day. To ensure everyone gets the rest they need, establish quiet hours.

Everyone has a different rhythm and routine, so sit down with your roommates and discuss the hours when peace and silence are the number one rules of the dorm. Be honest about your sleep preferences and share with them whether you’re a night owl or an early bird and if you’re a light or heavy sleeper.

Once the quiet hours are set, stick to them. Above all, always be respectful and avoid making too much noise to prevent conflicts.

On top of following these etiquettes, you and your roommates need to establish open communication to deal with eventual conflicts and issues that may arise. Living with people you don’t know is sure challenging, but can be rewarding and lead to long-lasting friendships.

If you live on campus or in a student house and have some other college roommate etiquette tips to share, send them to us @shareignite.

Feature image courtesy of Humber College – Humber’s Digital Asset Management.

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