Dorm Life: How to Be a Good College Roommate

The special thing about dorm life and being roommates when you are attending college is that it is usually a new experience for most of the dorm population. And as such, can be a microcosm of how people act when they are in their 1^st experience in this new living environment outside of good ole home. The main thing to keep in check if you want to be a good roommate is perception. Always check out if you think someone else may be on a different wavelength than you are. While you may think playing the accordion all night to serenade your new found friend is a good thing; well, they may have a different opinion on that.

Here are some more checkpoints to consider if you are going to start off on a good foot:

Noise: Not just music, games, television, those are self explanatory. Sometimes, people just are unaware that they are making noises all of the time without realizing it. Coughing, sneezing, wheezing, sighing, mumbling continually to oneself, or in constant need of filling up dead air space with body noises. Also, irritating is smacking gum, tapping on things, banging things into a wall or dropping things onto the floor. There are a million noises we don't even realize we are making until we are cramped in a small space with another human being we basically don't even know.

Smells: oh, my, the smells, if you haven't ever been to a dorm you are in for a treat. Sometimes it is just cooking smells, sometimes it could be laundry smells, cologne, perfume and body odor, etc. be considerate that you are not yourself leaking toxic air to your new roommate.

Style: There have been movies, TV shows, books written, etc. about the odd couples who live together and somehow make it, and make it humorous. In reality, this usually creates more friction than humor. So, you need to bring your patience and your sense of humor with you when you move in, because karma law states that you usually will get paired up with someone opposite you just for the learning experience.

Motives: Most people who are in the dorms are just like you and are trying to feel their way around and they will make mistakes just like you will. Unless you really feel that someone is a genuine jerk and their number one motive in life is to bother you; try to see a first offense objectively and play fair. If you feel that this person is a real problem then you need to take action to have the problem resolved.

Living in a dorm is a huge living adjustment and it will be an experience you will never forget. Try to make it a good experience for you and for your roommate.