Roommates: Tips to survive and thrive with your college roomies

BY LINDSEY HUGHES/Multimedia Journalist

Life with roommates can be a tricky thing to navigate, it often comes with highs and lows. Conflicts and issues sometimes arise, and it can be hard to know how to deal with that, but there are plenty of ways to make life with roommates operate more smoothly.

1.. Communication is key

Communication with roommates is such an important step to make life easier. Communicating expectations and checking in regularly is important to a healthy roommate relationship. It also helps to foster a sense of respect between roommates, which is endlessly crucial. 

Tarleton State University sophomore Kynlie Bogle says that communication is the most important thing when living with someone. 

“Communicating problems and needs is important when you spend any large amount of time with people. If your roommate doesn’t know there is a problem, they probably won’t fix it, and resentment will build,” Bogle said.

2. Setting boundaries

Boundaries are important to have set from the very beginning of living with a roommate. Clear boundaries promote respect for personal space and personal belongings. It can also prevent conflict early on, before issues arise. It will help to keep an overall clean and organized space. Boundaries help to keep life balanced when living with people. Luc de Keratry, a marketing major at Tarleton, thinks that setting these types of boundaries helps to keep conflict to a minimum.

“In the time I’ve spent over the years living with roommates, the most difficult things in my opinion are cleanliness and boundaries. What I’ve found works best in both cases is to set up clear ground rules and boundaries about what is and is not allowed or preferred.” de Keratry said.

3. Understanding differences and having respect

Different people do things differently and have different versions of right and wrong. Understanding these differences is key to being able to level with roommates and create a middle ground.

In no world is it a necessity to be best friends with roommates, however it is important to show respect towards the people you live with. Getting to a point of understanding with people who have different views, and learning to respect these differences, is helpful to having a friendly roommate dynamic.

4. Making time 

Remembering to make time amongst busy schedules, during good times and bad, to continue to build relationships with your roommates. Whether conflicts have arisen or not, continuing to build up the relationships that you have already started is important.

Mason Munz, a junior Agriculture business major at Tarleton, says that quality time with roommates is one of the most important aspects to living together.

“It’s hard to hang out together sometimes because of the busy schedules but you just have to appreciate the little moments that you do have when everyone is together,” Munz said.