A new school year is set to begin, and for those entering college, there are many things to consider: clubs to join, grades to upkeep, fun to have, and friends to make. Living in a dorm is an experience you’ll never forget – although sometimes you may wish you could. Here are some do’s and don’t’s to help make the transition a little easier.
DO
Clean up after yourself.
It sounds simple. You’ve been advised of doing it since you were a child, but for some reason, as a late-teenager finally out of your parent’s confines, all that was taught is lost. From experience, it was not a trap marked with peanut butter or a carefully-laid glue strip that caught me and my former roommate’s late-night visitor: a mouse we unimaginatively named Mickey. Instead, it was her Cheetos bag, left overnight, opened and uneaten. Woken by the incessant rustling of the plastic bag, we found him nestled inside. After thirty long, weary minutes of unsuccessfully trying to keep our distance, yet rid the room of the rodent, we braved up, tossing the Cheetos in their entirety out the door and into a trash bin. No killing necessary.
Schedule “special” time.
There’s nothing like trying to get it on in a twin-size bed. It creaks, is inconveniently positioned alongside a mini-fridge that hums and clicks at inopportune times, and there are only fifteen minutes allotted in between classes to make this magic happen. Add an oblivious, but painfully intrusive roommate to the mix, and you’ve got the least romantic setting possible. Three is always a crowd in this situation. Talk to your co-existent about arranging visits from significant others, bump-buddies, and one-night-stands. Discuss preferred hours, frequency, and noise level. Seriously.
Respect.
Though vague, this one can be achieved with common sense. Blow drying your hair in the middle of the night? Not a good idea. Smoking cigarettes in the common area isn’t either. Taking a long shower when everyone’s running late and waiting on the bathroom falls into this category, too. As does talking or playing music so loud that you distract neighbors attempting to study and sleep. This “do” extends to respecting ones habits and hobbies, religious beliefs, sexual preference, and choice of political party. Make calendars, assign chores, sign contracts made with crayon and cardboard. Whatever it may be, respect can be paid by both biting your tongue and praising outloud. Practice both when appropriate.
DON’T
Assume it’s a free-for-all.
Borrowing things without asking, whether it be clothes, a condom, or a cup of orange juice is always prohibited. First-time roommates are not yet friends, so whatever boundaries were broken with your BFF back home, set them again with this stranger – for the time being. To avoid confusion, label personal possessions (your name will do; “do not touch” is unnecessary). Lock your door; had my roommate done this, she would not be missing as many earrings. Though I had every intention of returning them, accidents happen, excuses were made, lies live on. And lastly, buy things together. Deciding to buy one bottle of ketchup saves money, deciding to buy two towels saves hygiene.
Engage in illegal activity.
There is nothing more embarrassing than getting caught for an inappreciable amount of liquor or substance. The storm of consequences that follows afterwards only goes on to prove how much the moment of euphoria was not worth it. There’s paperwork, warnings, a silent scarlet letter, and the notification of your parents. Besides, putting your roommate in jeopardy of eviction or expulsion only creates tension and stress. Then again, said substances usually alleviate those symptoms…so if you must do illegal things, share and be stealth.
Gossip.
Dorms are nothing compared to small towns. Word spreads faster than fire. The six-degrees-of-separation rule usually applies, so if having issues with a roommate, don’t tell your yoga buddy, because she may tell the story to a friend in her Art History class, while the person behind them listens ever so intently and relays the story — this time exaggerated and elaborated — to their co-worker at the bookstore, who just so happens to know your roommate because they went to highschool together. Talk it out. Plan an open-door policy with your roommate beforehand, so problems are resolved and friendships saved.
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