By: Izzy Cheung, Staff writer
At some point during all our lives, we end up having to share a living space with someone else. Whether it be with family, friends, or school-assigned individuals, we’re bound to share a living space with someone other than ourselves. A person’s roommate can make or break their experience living in a certain place, so as potential roommates, we want to make sure we’re well-equipped to make both our living experiences go as smoothly as possible. After all, being one’s roommate means you have a relationship with them — you’re a physical presence in one another’s lives. So, without further ado, here are some golden tips on how to be a golden roommate.
Compromise is key
With all relationships — professional, familial, or really anyone with whom you’re sharing a living space — compromise is a major determinant of success. It’s not often that everyone involved in a situation can get what they want, hence the need for some flexibility. Your roommate may not like the same things that you do, and vice-versa, so figuring out common ground is important. If you and your roommate would both prefer to grocery shop over doing the dishes, then you can establish a schedule that allows you two to switch chores every week, which brings me to my next point.
Establish set guidelines
People live their lives differently from others. Your roommate might be an early bird, while you prefer to sleep past the morning hours (same). Figuring out some rules, guidelines, or even a physical schedule is important for determining who does what. This can vary from a chart detailing who does which chores for which week, to a verbal agreement on what time friends are allowed over. Having a whiteboard or sheet of paper with these details is super helpful — especially if it’s colour-coded. Keeping it posted on a common space such as on the fridge, on a bulletin board near the front door, or in a shared office space makes it easier for both of you to go back and check if needed.
Be considerate
This rule plays off of the previous one. When setting guidelines, or even just sharing a space with another person, you want to keep their interests and habits in mind to give them the most comfortable experience possible. Consider things like respecting your roommate’s sleep schedule, being mindful of their diets and food choices, and avoiding touching their stuff. If you finish a product that you often share, replace it with a new one (such as cleaning supplies or detergent). Even something as small as picking up a pint of your roommate’s favourite ice cream for them to have after a long day will do wonders. My mom always tells me to treat others how you’d want to be treated — so keep this in mind when sharing a living space with others.
Get to know each other
You don’t have to be friends to be roommates, but it’s definitely a good idea to get to know them as you live together. When sharing a living space with someone it’s inevitable that you’ll get to know them. For some people, sharing a living space in a dormitory-type setting is a new (and occasionally scary) experience, so being friendly and making an effort to learn about them will make everyone’s experience that much more positive. Getting to know your roommate will allow you to have an idea of what kind of person they are, making it easier for you to be mindful of their preferences and interests. If you know that your roommate prefers clean spaces, it’ll be easier for you to remember to put things back where they belong. You’re living with this person for a decent amount of time every day, so getting to know them is important — if not mandatory.
Clean up after yourself
I can’t stress the importance of this one enough. Having lived with a teenage boy, I know what it’s like cleaning up after others (spoiler: it’s not fun). Make sure you clean your dishes, pack up any leftover food, and dispose of your empty wrappers and bags. A little chaos is okay, but just make sure it doesn’t look like a tornado ran through your living space, especially if your roommate prefers cleanliness. Large piles of crumbs are a no-no (we don’t want any bugs or animals eating those up). Shared living spaces reflect on everyone — even if you have your own room, it doesn’t hurt to keep it clean.
Communication is (also) key
Constant communication — for example, about meal plans for the night, or who is having people over and when — is exceedingly important. Make sure your roommate is aware of what’s going on at all times regarding your living space. Letting them know that you have a big exam the next day and need to study will remind them to be cognizant of noise levels in the living space, and will likely encourage them to do the same if they have one coming up as well. It rarely hurts to have too much communication between you, but a lack of it will definitely have some negative impacts. Whether you’re borrowing something or bringing someone over, make sure your roommate knows; after all, it’s their space too!
