For those who are living in the dorms, you’re now probably familiar with its fair share of pros and cons. Sharing your living space with other people can be difficult and a big responsibility, but fortunately, it’s still possible to maintain a decent relationship with them even if a few clashes have already taken place. To prevent any more incidents from happening, here’s a quick rundown of how to practice dorm etiquette and be that one fantastic dormmate from freshman year.
Respect each other’s living space
Don’t forget that your room is also your roommate’s room! As we’re nearing the end of the academic year, we’ve gotten to the point where we may be forgetting to uphold our established boundaries. Maybe you’ve gotten too comfortable with your roommate or vice versa, so just remember to remain considerate and respectful!
This can include using your earbuds or headphones when your roommate is studying, not rummaging through each other’s belongings without consent, letting them know if you have guests coming over and using a night light or LED lights if the other decides to sleep early.
Respect the common areas
All dorms here on campus have common areas for their residents, from study rooms to lounges to computer labs to laundry rooms. Keep in mind that these common areas are for everyone, so make sure to clean up after yourself after using any of these. Return everything to their original state.
One key tip: only go to the study rooms to study! It’s incredibly rude to just barge in there with a group of friends and start yapping, especially when there’s probably a student who has a morning midterm the next day. Maybe you’ve just finished your own exams and decided to chill until finals, but it’s still vital to remember to be respectful of other people.
Oh, and everyone’s biggest peeve: take out your laundry in a timely manner! The washers and dryers are extremely limited for each dorm, so it’s imperative that you watch the timer and take your laundry out when it’s done. Don’t forget to clean the lint filter, too! If you’re a regular at the laundry rooms, you should know by now to always clean the lint filter after every use, but it’s never too late to start.
Communication is key
I can’t stress this enough: communicate with your dormmates! If there’s ever an issue that needs to be addressed, mention it to your dormmates and talk it through. Try your best to resolve it peacefully as adults, and as long as you’re both calm and reasonable, nine times out of ten, a solution will be found. The last thing you both want is to have an issue go unsettled, which will only result in built-up resentment.
If that’s already the case, then I definitely recommend going out of your comfort zone and talking it out with whoever’s involved or at least your RA. That’s what they’re here for: to help you in the dorms! I know it’s tough to go confront someone you’re living with, but it’s better to get it over with as soon as possible rather than dealing with the problem for almost a year.
A friend of mine had a group of girls in my hall who would constantly invite friends over and get extremely loud to the point where she could hear them from the entrance (they lived right in the middle!), and after trying to live with it for a month, she eventually knocked on their door and asked them if they could quiet down a bit. These girls and their friends were extremely understanding, and agreed to keep it down! As long as you remain cordial, things will work out.
Try a whiteboard!
If you plan on divvying up chores now that people are getting way too comfortable but not so sure on how to get started, get a whiteboard! Getting a whiteboard is completely optional, but is extremely useful (and fun!) to use with your roommates. For example, you can write out a little schedule for each day and chore and assign it to each other. My current roommates and I use our whiteboard religiously, and not just for chores, but also to write down our “debts,” grocery lists, reminders or just nice little notes and drawings for each other.
Living in the dorms, especially as a freshman, can be intimidating. Since we’re already more than two-thirds through the academic year, you’re probably somewhat aware of your dormmates’ habits and maybe even their routine by now, so hopefully, you have an idea of what to do and not to do. Just keep your cool, and remember that good manners must always be reciprocated!
