10 tips on how to be a good roommate

When it comes to boarding school, there is a lot to consider. You live abroad, you stay on campus most of the time, and your study time increases. But probably one of the most important aspects of your daily life is living among your peers.

Here are some ideas on how to be a good roommate.

1. Clean more than you normally would

Cleaning up your own messes is an ongoing task, but it becomes a real chore when you have to clean up someone else’s mess, too. Don’t be the roommate who’s got half a suitcase of clothes, shoes, and clutter lying around all over the floor. A good rule of thumb is to clean far more than you would if you lived on your own.

2. Get to know each other

Living in close quarters is an interesting experience, to say the least. It’s probably the quickest way to learn all about someone’s best and worst habits. But before learning their worst ones, do yourself a favor and try to get to know their best ones. You’ll be happier if you both understand each other and have figured out how to best get along.

3. Learn how to resolve conflicts peacefully

Even the closest roommates have moments when they don’t see eye-to-eye. Conflict is just a natural part of bringing people together. But they can always be resolved peacefully.

4. Keep communication open

Your roommate might be incredibly talented, academically gifted, and fluent in five languages. But one super talent they definitely don’t have is the ability to read minds. So, communicate openly and often. You’ll avoid plenty of potential conflicts that way.

5. Give each other space

Remember, just because you live in the same space doesn’t mean you have to hang out all the time. You’ll have plenty of time to spend together so remember to let your roommate have their space when they want it.

6. Stay considerate of noise

While a steady soundtrack of your favorite jams can bring you right into the best headspace, try to keep your roommate in mind. With great tunes comes great responsibility – including being considerate of those who like their focused time to be a little less musical. Keep these dynamics in mind next time you’re ready to blast your upbeat Daily Mix playlist.

7. Build a system for responsibilities

Luckily, at boarding school, you don’t have to worry too much about things like dirty dishes in the sink. But there will still be some shared responsibilities to take care of. And if you want to avoid problems in such tight quarters, it’s helpful to set up a system for who takes care of what.

8. Find your chill

So, your roomie left a pile of dirty laundry out. Maybe they took some of your shampoo without asking or forgot to tell you about a friend who’s coming over during your study time. Relax! It doesn’t help anybody to stress out over tiny things.

9. Set boundaries

Since you want to live in harmony during your time together, it’s always good to think about ways to make living together more comfortable. A big part of this is setting appropriate boundaries with each other. This will be different for everybody, so the best way to establish these boundaries is to have an open and honest conversation.

10. Speak up

This goes right along with the point about communication but it’s important enough to deserve its own point. Sometimes things will go wrong – you might accidentally break one of their items or forget to tell them something important. Life happens. And when it does, it’s important to come clean and be honest about it.