Bonding With Your Roomie
You may end up being best friends with your first-year college roommate. You may not. But even the best roommate matches aren’t perfect. With a little patience, communication and understanding, the two of you can live together peacefully.
Eat together
Remember mealtimes at home? The conversations, the arguments, the bonding that took place over the dinner table? It’s the same for your roommate. Get to know him or her over a meal and share your day’s events and concerns. The meal itself doesn’t matter—Chicken Alfredo at the dining hall, pizza from Domino’s or a couple bags of popcorn—just sit down together and share a meal.
Shop together
You are going to run out of stuff—toothpaste, shampoo or fish food. Or you’re going to have a craving for Häagen Dazs ice cream that can only be cured by a trip to the grocery store. Invite your roommate along and make it an adventure.
Find a common TV show
Whether it’s Seinfeld repeats, a nightly Letterman fix, or The OC, Gilmore Girls or Smallville, you can probably find at least one show you both will freak out if you miss. Watch it together and then tear it apart afterwards. It’s fun!
Make your room fun
Determine how you each want the room to look and come to agreements that meet both your needs. Decorate for the holidays. Have a weekly game night. Make a project together for your room. Check out duct tape projects.
Respect each other’s privacy
You’re both living in tight quarters so there isn’t a lot of privacy to be had. Respect each other and each other’s belongings. Determine the things that you don’t mind sharing—maybe CDs or groceries, but not toiletries or clothing. No matter how curious you are, don’t snoop. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it also ticks off the roommate.
Develop a plan
He’s a slob and you’re a neat freak. Or she’s an early bird and you’re a night owl. Come to an agreement early on about significant differences in your lifestyles. Discuss housecleaning and bill-paying before they become problematic issues. Come to a reasonable agreement about visiting boyfriends or girlfriends, study times, and lights out.
Take a road trip
An adventure is a fun way to connect and to learn more about each other. Bring your roommate home to meet the parents, go on a camping trip, or head to Winnipeg for the weekend.