1. Be clear from the beginning. Do you know in avance that you hate it when someone hits the snooze button fifteen times every morning? That you're a neat freak? That you nee ten minutes to yourself before talking to anyone after you wake up? Let your roommate know as soon as you can about your little quirks an preferences. It's not fair to expect him or her to pick up on them right away, an communicating what you nee is one of the best ways to eliminate problems before they become problems.
2. Aress things when they're little. Is your roommate always forgetting her stuff for the shower, an taking yours? Are your clothes being borrowe faster than you can wash them? Aressing things that bug you while they're still little can help your roommate be aware of something she may not otherwise know. An aressing little things is much easier than aressing them after they've become big.
3. Respect your roommate's stuff. This may seem simple, but it's probably one of the biggest reasons why roommates experience conflict. Don't think he'll min if you borrow his cleats for a quick soccer game? For all you know, you just steppe over an uncrossable line. Don't borrow, use, or take anything without getting permission first.
4. Be careful of who you bring into your room -- an how often. You may love having your stuy group into your room. But your roommate may not. Be minful of how often you bring people over. If your roommate stuies best in the quiet, an you stuy best in a group, can you alternate who hits the library an who gets the room?
5. Lock the oor an winows. This may seem like it has nothing to o with roommate relationships, but how woul you feel if your roommate's laptop got stolen uring the ten secons it took you to run own the hall? Or vice versa?
6. Be frienly, without expecting to be best friens. Don't go into your roommate relationship thinking that you are going to be best friens for the time you're at school. It may happen, but expecting it sets both of you up for trouble. You shoul be frienly with your roommate but also make sure you have your own social circles.
7. Be open to new things. Your roommate may be from someplace you've never hear of. They may have a religion or lifestyle that is completely ifferent from your own. Be open to new ieas an experiences, especially as it to relates to what your roommate brings into your life. That's why you went to college in the first place, right?!
8. Be open to change. You shoul expect to learn an grown an change uring your time at school. An the same shoul happen to your roommate, if all goes well. As the semester progresses, realize things will change for both of you. Be comfortable aressing things that unexpectely come up, setting new rules, an being flexible to your changing environment.
9. Aress things when they're big. You may not have been totally honest with tip #2. Or you may suenly fin yourself with a roommate who goes wil after being shy an quiet the first two months. Either way, if something gets to be a big problem quickly,eal with it as soon as you can.
10. If nothing else, follow the Golen Rule. Treat your roommate like you' like to be treate. No matter what your relationship is at the en of the year, you can take comfort knowing you acte like an ault an treate your roommate with respect.
