Five Tips for Preventing Roommate Problems in College

Most people have roommates while in college. During freshman year, this roommate (or these roommates, if you are in a triple or a suite) is likely to have been randomly selected for you. You may or may not have good chemistry with your roommate, but it is still important that you get along with him or her so that you have a civil environment in which you can work. In this article, I intend to describe five things you can do to develop a good relationship with your roommate.

College Roommate Tip #1 - Get to Know Your Roommate

Your roommate might be one of the first people you meet at school. You've likely communicated prior to your arrival, so you might have some idea of what this individual is like. Take the time to introduce yourself, to ask your roommate questions about what he or she is intending to study, to ask questions about living preferences, class schedules, etc., and general interests. You don't have to do this all at once, but you should address all of this in the first day or two.

Social networking sites have changed the roommate experience to some extent. For example, you might see pictures of your roommate or his or her favorite music and be tempted to write him or her off. Remember, he or she could do the same thing to you. Even if you don't have the same tastes in media or anything else, it pays to get along with your roommate.

College Roommate Tip #2 - Respect Your Roommate's Space

Space is a hot commodity at college because most dorm rooms don't have a ton of it. If you end up taking a lot of clothing, furniture, and other items to college, make sure that they don't start to take over your roommate's space. Most roommates develop a sort of "line down the middle" approach to a dorm room. There may be exceptions, for example, for appliances like microwaves and mini-fridges. For the most part, keep your things in your own space.

College Roommate Tip #3 - Respect Your Roommate's Sleeping Habits

This is probably the biggest problem between college roommates. College schedules are complex. Some college students might have class at 8AM, while others might have class at 6PM. Some college students only have class Monday through Thursday, while others might have a class on Saturday. Basically, do what you can to make sure that your roommate can sleep when they need to sleep. Use headphones to listen to music if he or she goes to bed before you, and be quiet as you get ready in the morning if you get up before your roommate.

College Roommate Tip #4 - Give Your Roommate Space When Needed

College is a stressful time. Students worry about classes, relationships, jobs, family, and other issues. Everyone needs time alone occasionally, so make sure that you give your roommate space if he or she needs it. Likewise, if your roommate has a big exam coming up, it might be easier for him or her to study if you're not in the room. You may also wish to give your roommate space if he or she has any visitors of the opposite (or same) sex. Of course, don't let your roommate abuse this.

College Roommate Tip #5 - Communicate When There Are Problems

If you have a problem with something that your roommate does, tell him or her. See if you can compromise or fix the situation. Bottling things up is unlikely to help anything. This is especially important when it affects your ability to study or get enough sleep.

Remember, it's easier to prevent an issue from becoming a huge problem than to fix the huge problem once it already exists. If you communicate with your roommate and respect his or her space and need to do well in class, you should be fine. Have any roommate suggestions of your own? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a comment. Thanks for reading!