Roommates should come up with rules about food, TV and guests
Roommate: a person occupying the same room as YOU.
By definition the concept of having a roommate seems straightforward, you are sharing a room.
But every college student soon realizes that leaves out a lot of details.
My freshman year, which was only two years ago, I roomed with one of my best friends from high school and I can honestly say that it was a great experience.
That doesn’t mean it came naturally, though. We came up with strategies.
Food: We came up with a plan. Whatever our parents bought for us was fair game to share, but whatever we bought with our own money was off-limits.
Guests: Do not make your room “the hangout room” for you and your buddies. My roommate and I realized this really quickly and we made it a habit of always going to other rooms to socialize. Believe me, you do not want to put up with people coming in and out of your room, leaving food, trash, etc. Leave that to your friend’s room.
TV: This was tricky for us. I always wanted to watch TV late into the night while we laid in bed, but my roommate wanted complete darkness and silence. We quickly figured out a solution. I would just go hang out in our friend’s room down the hall who also liked to hang out and watch TV late into the night.
These are just a few strategies that you and your roommate can talk about and customize to your likes and dislikes.
I know my roommate situation isn’t typical, but I think if you have enough patience you can get it through one school year with anyone. Good Luck!