Suitemates are a big part of the college experience. Whether you like it or not, you will have to share a bathroom. Just like in any other relationship, communication is important. It can be a little difficult to know what to communicate with your suitemates or even when to catch them. My suitemate and I communicated very easily, so I have a few tips.
1. Ways To Get In Touch
The first thing to consider is how to communicate with your suitemate(s). Some people elect to meet them on move-in day, knowing they’re there and knocking on their door can go a long way. There’s also hoping to bump into them in the hallway, or the floor meetings in the first week.
I didn’t do any of that, nor did I think to. I felt too nervous to knock on their door; I only knew their name, and we had very different schedules. Luckily, they came up with a simple but effective idea, a note.
My suitemate wrote a note introducing themselves and about the issues that come with sharing the bathroom. They stuck it on a pack of toilet paper. I wrote back and that’s typically what we do now.
2. What To Discuss
When sharing a bathroom, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with it. There are things that need to be discussed such as who will be cleaning at what time, who will stock the toilet paper next time, some people even discuss their schedules and decide when the best times are to shower.
Another good thing to know is who will bring what to the bathroom, like spray or cleaning products. These are essential when you’re sharing a bathroom. You never know when/if you will get sick, and you wouldn’t want to leave a mess for your suitemate(s).
There’s also the possibility that you don’t know how something works, and it can be helpful to ask your neighbor how it works. I (embarrassingly enough) didn’t understand how to take the toilet paper holder out. I knocked on my neighbor’s door, we had a laugh, and they showed me how to do it.
It’s not easy to share a bathroom, but it gets easier when you know and communicate with the person(s) you’re sharing with. It’s important and needs to be done. Be safe, be kind, and be respectful as you talk to your suitemate(s).
