Being a good roommate requires having a calm demeanor and a positive attitude. Blowing your lid because your roommate left a glop of peanut-butter on the counter will help nothing. On the flip side, saying hello to your roommate and being generally nice will make is easier to get along with your roommate.
However, most people don’t understand that being a good roommate is more than just being nice. It involves anticipating problems before they happen so that tensions don’t rise. Here are some common roommate problems and how to avoid them:
- Dishes – a sink full of dirty dishes has been known to tank even the most Titanic of roommate relationships. Come up with a daily plan for dishes so that you don’t end up in “that’s my bowl, but everything else is yours” arguments.
- Chores – try to come up with an equal division of labor so one person doesn’t end up feeling shorted.
- Hours – talk about your mornings and nights so that you’re all on the same page about when quiet time should begin.
- Food – it’s best to buy your own food and have a general rule against sharing unless asked.
- Common Spaces – discuss who gets common things, like the TV, and when. Certainly, it wouldn’t be fun if your roommate and his girlfriend plop down on the couch to watch a movie every single night. I mean, doesn’t she have a house, too? Why don’t they ever watch chick flicks over there?! I threw in $75 for that TV, and I get to watch it like twice a week. And it’s usually just the news in the morning before work, which doesn’t even count. You know what? I shouldn’t have to open the door after a long day expecting them to be schmoozing on the couch again. I mean, come on, that’s not fair.
I digress…