College Roommate

Living with a college roommate can be tricky. Even if you’re rooming with a high school friend, you really don’t know a person until you share the same space. If this is your first college roommate experience, it’s a good idea to spend some time together before you make a commitment to living in the same dorm room.

It’s ideal to spend some one-on-one time with your new roommate. If for some reason it isn’t convenient to get together, at least arrange a phone call. You can discuss ground rules and expectations and make some decisions that will ease the transition.

Whatever you decide, give yourself the option of renting a self storage unit. Self storage for college students can be lifesaver for both you and your future roomie.

For instance, you can use it when you empty your dorm for the summer or study abroad for a semester. Shared self storage helps to save expenses and gives you some extra space. My Storage Plus has both large and small storage units to fit your needs and your budget.

In the meantime, here are some questions to ask to help you make the most of your school year.

Important Questions to Ask Your College Roommate

When Are You Moving In?

It can be chaotic when people are moving in at the same time. Having two sets of parents, siblings, or friends carting in tons of stuff can cause distress for everyone.

If possible, consider staggering the times of day that you’ll each be moving in. This will relieve bottlenecks and provide some privacy for potentially emotional goodbyes.

Who’s Bringing What?

Deciding who brings what is one of the most important decisions to be made. Try to coordinate so that you don’t double up on certain items. Be sure the essential items are covered so that you have everything you need. It’s unlikely that you’ll have room for two of everything. Having two microwaves or an extra mini-fridge is unnecessary.

If for some reason, you do end up with two of the same item, keep one in your climate-controlled self storage unit as a backup.

When is Bedtime?

If you’re a person who turns in early, living with a night owl doesn’t have to be a recipe for disaster. The key is to have open communication about bedtime routines.

Learning to compromise is a skill that will last a lifetime. One of you may need to do some late night studying in a common area while the other may have to learn to use a sleep mask. No one can be respectful of boundaries you don set. It’s best to have this discussion sooner rather than later.

How Do You Feel About Overnight Guests?

A common problem concerns the presence of overnight guests. This issue needs to be addressed before the school year starts. Create a plan as to how you’d both like to handle this situation.

Whether it’s an out of town friend or a significant other, make sure you’re on the same page. If you really feel uncomfortable with this situation, make it known. This may not be something that you can live with.

What Are Your Cleaning Preferences?

The best way to handle this is to divide tasks into weekly or monthly schedules. Try to determine who prefers which jobs. Maybe one of you likes to dust and the other doesn’t mind sweeping the carpet. It’s a small room and shouldn’t take a huge chunk of time.
If you have your own bathroom, this should definitely be worked into a regular cleaning schedule. Small shared jobs can spare your sanity and your friendship.

What Are Your Privacy Expectations?

Don’t assume that everyone is on the same page with your level of openness. Ask the right questions. For example, how do you feel about having friends hanging out in your room on a regular basis? As discussed above, how are you going to handle overnight guests? Is it going to annoy you that you have to leave a noisy room everytime you receive a phone call?

Don’t skirt around these questions. Open communication is essential to stop disagreements before they happen. If you don’t make your expectations known, you can’t expect your roommate to understand your feelings.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of compromise is essential for achieving success in personal relationships and professional settings. Learning to live with another person is a valuable skill that can save you time and money.

However, the key to good relationships is the art of open communication. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Frustration will lead to resentment which can lead to moving to a new room next semester. It’s important to deal with questions and concerns before you finalize your living arrangements.