Tips for Getting Along with a College Roommate

The end of summer is quickly approaching, which also means that it is almost time for you to go away to college. Not only does this mean that you are embarking on a new life journey, but it also means that it will soon be time for you to get acquainted with your new college roommate. Here, we will take a much closer look at some of the things that you can do in order to get along with new college roommate as best as you possibly can.

Do Not Wait Until the First Day of College

Chances are that your school has provided you with contact information of your new college roommate. If you have not been provided with it, you should be sure to request it. Once you have it, the next step is to make sure that you contact your new roommate. Learn more about your roommate's interests, hobbies, and personality. This will help give you a good idea of what you should expect on the first day of college. If your roommate lives near you, you may want to consider meeting up before college starts. Making the effort to show that you actually care enough to learn a little bit more about your roommate before college actually starts, rather than when you have no choice but to get to know your roommate, will look good on your part.

Make Decisions on What You Should Both Bring

Contacting your roommate before college has started will not only provide you with the opportunity to get to know him or her a little bit better, but it will also be a great way to make sure that you have made some very important living arrangement decisions. For example, maybe you will agree that your roommate should bring a small refrigerator, while you should bring a television. No matter what type of decisions you and your roommate make together, it is very important to make sure that you work all of these things out before the college semester starts. You would not both want to arrive to your college dorm with a refrigerator when you only have a need for one.

Come up with a Set of Dorm Rules You Both Agree on

It is important to make sure that you do not forget that your college dorm is a place where you will both be living. Coming up with a set of rules for your dorm that you both agree on is very important. For example, you will probably want to agree that you both need to keep your living areas clean. You might want to assign specific chores to each person, such as doing the dishes - or you may want to agree that you should clean up whatever mess you make. Another one of the very important things that you will want to decide on before the college year even begins is when you are allowed to have company. For example, if your roommate is studying for a test, would it still be acceptable for you to have company? How about the time when you are allowed to be on the computer at night? What if you have to wake up early in the morning to take a midterm exam but you cannot seem to sleep over your roommate clattering away at his or her computer? Making decisions on all of these things, and then some, are very important.

Do Not Boss Your Roommate Around

Though you may feel like you have the ability to boss your new roommate around, it is important to keep in mind that this is never something that you should do. Many college students are used to bossing around their siblings at home, which may be the main reason that so many go off to dorm-life with the attitude that bossing people around is okay. Whether you are the one doing the bossing or it is your roommate who tries to boss you around, it is essential to put a stop to it before it goes too far. Trying to control a roommate never solves anything.

Always Put a Smile on Your Face

There is no doubt that there will be times when your roommate may frustrate you. Always keeping a smile on your face will help you deal with things a lot smoother. If your roommate is a long way from home, keep in mind that he or she may be homesick or having a difficult time adjusting to this new life at college. Chances are that you could be having a difficult time adjusting yourself. No matter what the case is, a positive attitude is probably the best thing that you can have in any situation that you may experience with your roommate.