Everyone's dealt with it. Some people are dealing with it now, or eventually they will be. Living with people for the first time is a huge transition for any person because your own personal habits have to be checked, and you also have to learn about the ways of other people, and other people are gross. The biggest change: No mommy! Mommy isn't going to come clean up your puke from the frat party and change your sheets every weekend. You're on your own, kid. Now, nobody's perfect, and I'm not going to act like I was the perfect roommate, but just a few tips to make the process better, and to be a good roommate. Seriously, nobody wants to think back on their college experience and have it tarnished because they had Damien for a roommate.
1. Your mess is your mess. If your apartment has a kitchen and you cook your food, guess who is responsible for cleaning up the plates, pots, pans, etc.? That's right, YOU ARE. Don't wait until tomorrow, or wait until next week. Do. It. Now. When you're done, clean it up then and there. Don't wait for your roommate to get so disgusted that they decide to do it (they WILL hold it against you).
2. Your guests, your mess. Yet again, if you have people over they are YOUR responsibility. So, if someone barfs everywhere you better help clean it up. If you have a party, all of the food, drinks, etc. left over is YOURS to clean up. Don't wait a week. Do it the next day. Sleep in, let your hangover work itself out, get some Gatorade and greasy food, and then have at it.
3. Be considerate. The thing about living with other people is you cannot just act like you own the place and inflict your habits on other people. Don't blast your music or TV (unless they don't mind), keep your loud friends at bay during the weeknights. If you know your roommate is asleep, try not to wake them up. There are exceptions to trying not to wake them, like if you have an early class to get ready for. If you have a roommate who sleeps until 2:00PM then I wouldn't really think too hard about being quiet.
4. Don't eat other people's food unless they offer. This is self-explanatory.
5. Don't be gross in the bathroom. Seriously, keep the TP stocked, clean the damn bathroom! Ladies, if you're on your period, it's only fair for YOU to take out the garbage. Don't make your roommates have to take out the trash full of your used maxi-pads and tampon wrappers. Don't make everyone have a period with you (one a month is enough). Clean up after yourself, wipe the toilet seat if you get blood on it, and don't leave bloody fingerprints on the toilet roll.
6. Have a significant other? Cool! He/She is your responsibility like any guest. Also, your roommates don't want to see or hear you having sex. We don't care if you do it, but we don't want to be involved. Keep it in your room and out of places everyone uses (TV room, bathroom). If you do want to have wild and loud sex with somebody, maybe talk to your roommate, and kindly see if they can plan to give you a few hours alone in the apartment. If they say no, you cannot be mad...but if they say yes, you owe them one.
7. Take out the trash. We all live there. It's everyone's responsibility. I shouldn't have to throw out the sodas from your party or your bags of fast food. Not to mention, it smells awful.
8, Talk about issues. If you have an issue with you roommate(s) talk to them about it. If they are mature people, they will take into account what you're saying. However, if you're calling them out for their annoying habits, you better be prepared to be called out on your own.
9. Don't hog the refrigerator/pantries.
10. Don't borrow without permission. If your roommate doesn't care that you use their computer, clothes, shampoo, toothpaste, flat iron, makeup, milk etc...then super. But ask them. Yet again, they are allowed to say no.
11. In general try to be a little clean. If you completely trash your apartment or dorm, the university can fine you for damages, and that is really annoying. You don't have to keep the place looking like the Hilton, but cleaning up after yourself, and practicing basic hygiene is really not that hard to do.
12. Keep your mess in your room/your side of the dorm. Everyone gets busy, and sometimes they don't have time to clean (or they just don't feel like it). Try not to impose on other people and be messy in your own space.
13. Let your roommate study! College is about making friends, joining organizations, and learning about yourself, but none of those activities will matter if you never graduate! If you know your roommate has a lot of work to do, let them work in a peaceful, quiet environment. Yes, they could go to the library, but working in your own home is much more relaxing. And university libraries can be hectic (the last few weeks/finals week are LOUD and crowded). If you had to finish a ten-page essay. or read three hundred pages, wouldn't you want some quiet in your own apartment? Maybe you could benefit from the situation, and do homework with them.
Again, nobody's perfect. I've certainly made some of these mistakes, and I've lived with people who have. Everybody is different in regards to what they find irritating, but here are just some of my suggestions. You don't have to be best friends with your roommates, but you do have to live together, so some patience and cooperation should be taken into consideration. If they are so terrible that you cannot deal with it, have your RA mediate, or find a way to get the hell out.
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