Can't Live With em'.... Probably Shouldn't Punch em'

Roommates - The inconsistent, incorrigible, and inevitable aspect of college life.  These are certainly some of the most obvious love-hate relationships you’ll ever experience.  Roommates provide many opportunities including: networking with potential dating opportunities, activities, gossip, and most importantly, learning patience.  My “two cents” on the whole matter would be to stay on good terms with all of the people you live with, because it could come back to bite you in various ways if you don’t.  If you aren’t being a good roommate yourself, or even if just one of your roommates thinks you aren’t, the word gets around like pollination season. 

Ways to be a GOOD roommate:

• ·      Do your dishes (aka – clean up after yourself)
• ·      Don’t play loud music when others are studying
• ·      Don’t hog the washing machine/dryer
• ·      Pay your portion of utilities ON-TIME
• ·      Don’t park like a fool and take up two spaces in your lot that has limited parking
• ·      Pick up the vacuum once in awhile and vacuum the common living spaces
• ·      If you share a bathroom, work out a system to have it cleaned AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK
• ·      If you are having people stay the night, let your roommates know so they don’t walk downstairs in the underwear to find someone sleeping on the couch
• ·      Take the garbage out once in awhile (if you find the bin is full, don’t pile more things on it and walk away as if you didn’t see anything)
• ·      Be attentive to your roommates' moods and don't push their buttons 

Ways to be a BAD roommate:

• ·      Basically do the opposite of everything I just listed
• ·      Gossip a ton about your roommates
• ·      Be a hermit, never talk to anyone, and make your roommates suspicious

Remember that you don’t have to be best friends with all of your roommates. You might take to some better than others, and that’s okay.  Just be sure to be kind to everyone in the apartment/house, even if they aren’t kind to you in return.  Be the roommate that everyone can stand and don’t give anyone a reason to put you at the forefront of the apartment gossip.  It will all be worth it in the end!

For a little extra help, check out this article about "How to Handle Roommate Drama." 

http://study.com/articles/How_to_Handle_Roommate_Drama_Like_a_Pro.html