Best Friends with Your Dormmates

1. Agree on some basic rules

This is the essential rule of any good relationship. Make a list of the things that are/aren’t allowed to both of you and stick to it. Decide on the studying time, cleaning and visiting hours. Not only will it make your routine easier, but can also help to avoid misunderstandings and quarrels. It’s important to talk about male guests and overnight visitors. If needed, you may set some rules for your visitors. When I was a student our room was frequently full of friends and visitors, but I tried not to turn it into the social center.

2. Discuss the issues at once

You will escape many fights if you start talking about the problem once you feel it’s necessary. When you accumulate the little things, they grow bigger and chances are you will say a lot of unpleasant things you don’t really mean. Your dormmates simply cannot know or notice some things. That’s why negotiations are always the right thing to consider. My dormmate was always forgetting to take away her wet towel from the dresser and it was just unbearable. When she performed the same thing for several times, I explained that it was a bit irritating and an annoying bad habit. That’s it.

3. Respect your dormmates and their stuff

While it may sound weird, I still consider this point worth talking about. This is the cause of most conflicts and misunderstandings between dormmates. Just because you are the dormmates doesn’t mean you have to share everything you have. If you think that wearing their clothes or using their cosmetics is okay, they may think in an absolutely different way. Always ask for permission when you want to borrow, use or take any item. Certain boundaries are always welcome.

4. Explore together

Common memories and experience are the right things that pull people together. You are newcomers and you have no idea about the territory of the campus. So why not explore the campus together? Generally speaking, any activity you can share will be of advantage. You can become workout buddies or you may turn out to be the fans of the same band.