OSHCstudents – It’s a common thing for university students to live with roommates to save on living costs.
As a first-year student, having roommates was one thing I felt excited about. Coming from a different country, having roommates meant I could get to know people from different backgrounds and cultures within my own living environment.
What I did not realise was that it did not go as well as I would have thought.
It took some time for me to get used to it. So to help you get through it with ease, below are my tips living with roommates.
Get To Know Them
For me, it is important to get to know your roommates straight away when you move in. Getting to know who they are will help you cope with your first day in the dorm and for the rest of the time you live there.
Roommates are the first few people you meet during your university life and it is essential that they also become the first few friends you have.
Your roommates are your fellow strangers in this new environment and they would be more than happy to accompany you figuring out the confusing first year of university life. Of course, different people have different coping mechanisms but in my knowledge, most of us new students are just strangers trying to survive our first few days or weeks.
When you get through those days with your roommates, it will give you a mindset that you are adapting well with this new chapter of life and ready to kick on.
Make A Schedule
Making a schedule for you and your roommates will help ease the dynamic of living together.
So what kind of schedule are we talking about here? Well, it can be varied from a cooking schedule, a shopping for groceries schedule, or taking out the trash schedule.
For an example, taking out the trash can be a hassle, it takes an understanding among you to just get it out of the way and that is where your schedule will play the most important – saving everyone time and keeping things relaxed.
Figuring out these schedules with your roommates will help avoid an unnecessary clash in the future, especially when you are approaching those stressful assignment deadlines and the inevitable exams periods.
Be Considerate
This is one thing that you must always remember as a roommate. These people you are living with are also humans with feelings and when it comes to university life you may not know what will come across your path.
Be considerate towards your roommates: asking a simple “how are you?” will lighten up their mood from what could have been a heavy day for them.
Roommates are the closest people you are with when you are far away from your families. Their happiness may be your happiness too.
This will also create a healthy living environment that will affect your state of mind as you face life away from home.
Emma (OSHCstudents) – According to Studentworld online
