How to Adult: Living with roommates

Setting boundaries, rules, chore chart to improve cohabitation

There is no doubt that as a college student and young adult you will live with roommates at some point. Whether it is in an apartment, dorm or house, living with roommates has almost become the right of passage when it comes to being an adult. So, the question is how you do be a respectable and good roommate? Well, here are some tips when it comes to sharing a living space as college student.

When you first move in with your new roommates everyone will be on the look out and be on their best behavior, but as the weeks go by you will relax and feel more comfortable, which is nice, but can also be very dangerous depending on the people you end up living with. When your roommates get comfortable things tend to get sloppy. You may want to let it slip the first few times, they may be going through something and if that’s the case just pick up the extra slack and maybe do their dishes for the week. However, if this persists be honest with then. It will not be easy but who wants to live with messy people who do not do their dishes or clean up after themselves.

Make a few house rules or split up chores and make a schedule to keep things tidy and organized. It may sound like a boring adult thing to do but in the long run you will most likely be very thankful the chores are split up and you always come home to a clean house. 

If you end up with messy nightmare roommates who refuse to pick up their trash and clean up after themselves then I hate to break it to you, but the best thing to do if they do not improve is to move and hope to get better roommates. It’s not the most ideal thing to do but it may be better overall when you find lifelong friends and better roommates.

Living with roommates doesn’t have to be an awful experience if you are honest and open with them. So, work with each other, communicate and be honest and who knows, you may make some of your best college memories with them.