7 Steps To Being A Good College Roommate

Here are some fool-proof tips on how to get along with your roommate in college! Avoid nasty situations: "Wait, did you just borrow my sweater without asking me?! Oh bitch, I will cut you."

Adjusting to college life is enough of a struggle (unless you're some kind of Super-Freshman that has everything figured out, in which case you should give me a call and tell me all your secrets). Let's face it: whether you grew up with siblings or you're an only child, rooming with a total stranger can be weird at first. Here are some tips on how to keep the peace!

1. Start by setting some guidelines.

Via campaignsick.tumblr.com

Sleeping schedules, pet peeves, scheduled cleaning days...these are a few ground-rules that are good to talk about when you first meet your roommate. That way everyone has a clearer idea of what their living situation will be like for the semester.

2. If you need time to warm up to people, get to know your roomie!

Via wifflegif.com

You might need to know your roommate a little better in order to be comfortable living together. If that's the case, take the initiative! You could make a quick stop to Starbucks before class, go to a football game, grab some lunch... I won't say, "get a drink", but I'm also not stopping you.

3. Respect each other's space.

Via giphy.com

If you get a little messy during finals week (or, like me, have an unexplainable mess accumulate pretty much every week), just make sure to keep the mess on your side! There may also be days when you or your roommate are not in the mood to talk. If you're on the receiving end of the occasional silent treatment, try not to take it personal.

4. Do NOT borrow anything without asking first!

Via giphy.com

Sounds like common sense, but you'd be surprised. "Where's my sweater?" "Oh, I borrowed it, I hope you don't mind. Also I spilled mustard on it. Haha, I love hot dogs. Oh, and the weirdest thing happened, I dropped it in a pile of mud and then someone ran over it with their car. And then a hawk swooped down, picked it up and carried it away. So weird, right? Ooh, by the by, I need to borrow ten bucks."

5. Sleep is sacred.

Via pandawhale.com

Be mindful of your roommate and try not to wake them up by making a ton of noise or turning on the lights at some god-forsaken hour. They might have been up all night studying or are having a Hangover 3 situation, so just be mindful. Remember when we were five-years-old and hated naptime? What fools we were.

6. Let's talk about sex, baby.

Via giphy.com

I can't tell you how awkward it is to walk in on someone else's…"private time". That image will forever be burned into your retinas. Make sure to discuss having guests over and have some kind of code worked out. When all else fails, go with the good ol' sock on the door.

7. Keep open communication and be open to compromise.

Via list25.com

If you have any problems, bring them up in a respectful, non-confrontational way. Don't let something blow up to be a bigger problem than it has to be!

Sometimes, no matter what you do, some roommates just don't work out. If this is the case, go to your RA and try to file for a new room situation. If that doesn't work, resist the urge to smother them with a pillow in their sleep. Remember that a lot of people have had bad roommates, and MOST of them survived! It doesn't last forever so just try to keep things civil for a semester or two. For anyone with an awesome roommate situation, kudos to you! Keep these tips in mind and you'll be golden.