Well, you don’t need to feel aggravated by this situation. Just take note of these ways and strategies to avoid conflict with your roommate.
Establish ground rules
Setting up rules from the get-go avoids simple miscommunication and fights. If you forgot to establish ground rules at the start of the school year, then you’re at risk for some arguments with your roommate. Talk to your roommate about setting up house rules. You can even fill out a roommate agreement form to be formal or simply write down your ground rules in a poster that is easy to see.
Although some rules are common sense, it is still necessary to have a proper organization of things. Set up who is assigned to clean when, guest limits, quiet hours, shower time, and other house task designations.
Understand your roommate
Know what irritates your roommate to prevent unnecessary disputes. You’ll never know if something you do annoys them unless you talk to them. It could be a toothpaste in the sink, putting your coat on the couch, or littering the floor with small wrappers.
Fix this matter by talking to them straight. Be considerate. They won’t abide by your rules if you don’t abide by theirs. This way, for the following days, you won’t do things that might irritate them.
Speak up
If you are a shy person and you just keep roommate concerns bottled up, it can cause bigger chaos later. Learn to speak up when it is needed. Speak truthfully to release all the negative emotions. Don’t hash it out by passive-aggressive methods. Be kind and respectful to keep a tension-free space for everyone, a space where you can be open to each other.
Agree to disagree
Disagreeing is valid as long as you disagree respectfully. One good thing about college is that it creates a space for new ideas and opposing perspectives. Even if you are open-minded, you just can’t have the same opinion all the time. And that’s fine. So, agree to disagree, get over it, and let it go.
Follow the golden rule
Probably the best tip for every person who has a roommate is to follow the Golden Rule, which is: Treat others the way you want others to treat you. Once you follow this principle, you can never go wrong.
Although it takes four to five years, college is shorter than what you expect it to be. So, don’t waste these years on roommate dramas that you can easily avoid.
Discover more tips on college life by browsing through our blogs here at MSM Unify.