By: Cecilia Bulmahn
Residence hall living is a unique time of your life where you will move into a one-room shared space with someone you likely haven’t met before and expect to live in harmony. This can either
be a smooth process, or an extremely rough one. To help you and your roommate start the
process, here are topics you should speak about before moving together.
1. What are you open to sharing?
When it comes to personal belongings, some people are open to sharing everything while
others prefer to only use what they own. Whether it’s clothes, snacks, electronics, etc., it’s
important to communicate this beforehand to avoid later conflicts. In a small space, it can
be easy to get things mixed up, so make sure there is a system to where each person’s
belongings should go.
2. How do you like to resolve conflicts?
Being in college will make you realize that everyone grows up with different methods of
communication; this includes how they resolve conflicts. For example, if you like to be
direct and talk things out, but your roommate needs time to think before addressing
issues, it’s important to communicate that beforehand. This can help you see the other
side when arguments happen.
3. What are your cleaning habits?
One of the most common sources of arguments between roommates is cleanliness. It’s
important to establish boundaries for how each person will keep their things on their own
side of the room. When it comes to shared spaces like the bathroom, sink, and floor,
establish how often you will wipe down, sweep, and deep clean those spaces. Bringing
organizers for those spaces can also be a big help.
4. Individual schedules
As the year goes on and schedules get busier, there can be a lot of coming and going into
the room. Discuss what time you each typically go to bed and wake up. If one of you goes
to bed or wakes up earlier, talk expectations on lights on/off, volume levels, and having
guests over.
5. Decorations
Something that can be fun is deciding how you want to decorate the room! Will you
coordinate colors, theme, and vibes or do your own thing? Who will bring what supplies?
Does someone already have a vacuum they can bring? Will you buy a mini fridge or rent
one from the school? Communicate beforehand so that when you shop for everything you
don’t need to make multiple trips during a busy move-in day.
Moving in with someone you don’t know can be daunting, but it’s such a great opportunity
to make new friends and learn a different perspective on doing things. If you keep an open
mind and an open line of communication, then there’s nothing to be afraid of!
If you haven’t signed your housing contract yet, please do so here.
