Only a fortunate few are lucky enough to connect with their roommates; most roommates barely communicate or absolutely despise each other. We spend a majority of time in our rooms, so it’s imperative to get along swimmingly with the person that shares it with you.
Nobody’s to blame; it’s not your fault or theirs, sometimes people’s personalities fail to mix well together. An uneasy, awkward atmosphere lingers when two people trapped in a room don’t get along.
So whether you’re getting a new roommate or stuck with your current one, form a relationship by following these five tips.
1. Talk to them
Talking to your roommate is the first step to connecting with them. Ignoring their presence or brushing them off benefits nobody and leaves a sour tension in the room.
Go out to lunch or sit down for coffee and get to know them better. Learn about their aspirations and where they come from. Ask about their day, share something interesting about yours, converse and swap stories. It only gets harder to click with your roommate as each day of zero communication adds up.
2. Set ground rules
Establish each other’s responsibilities and duties. Make a chore wheel and keep up with completing each one. Lay out the boundaries of individual space and talk about how shared space will be handled. Sign a roommate contract if necessary.
If you have a problem with your roommate speak up, otherwise the problem will persist. Ideally, a neutral third party such as an RA or a live-in faculty member should be able to handle arguments between you and your roommate.
3. Borrow their stuff without asking
Show your roommate you like their style by borrowing their stuff. Nothing says “I love your fashion sense” quite like exciting your roommate with wearing their clothes when they return. Don’t bother asking, that’ll only ruin the surprise.
Consider the long-lived adage: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Display your adoration for you roommate by taking their laptop to class, wearing their backpack, or even flawlessly copying their style. Observe and learn from the 2011 movie “The Roommate.”
4. Keep them up by watching Netflix all night
Sleep is boring; entertain your roommate by catching up on all of your shows and blasting the volume while they’re lying in bed.
Learn and understand roommate lingo. When they plead that they have to rest for a test the next day, they really want you to try harder, jump on their bed, and shake them to wake them up. When they ask you to keep it down so that they can study, they really want you to distract them from the drudgeries of school, blast music and dance to your tunes.
5. Leave your mess on your roommate’s side
So your roommate recently experienced heartbreak or cried over some drama. Give them your chores and distract them from the pain in their life. Help them procrastinate on their homework by making them clean up your trash and do your laundry. Your roommate will never be more thankful for lending them a distraction.
If your roommate screams at you for being a slob, don’t take it too hard on them because they’re going through a lot right now and are an emotional wreck.
Becoming closer with your roommate takes time and I hope these tips will help you two come together.
