Do you want to be the best roommate you can possibly be? These dorm room etiquette tips will help you!
Do you want to be the best roommate you can possibly be? These dorm room etiquette tips will help you!
When you move into a college dorm, you’re sharing a small space with people you may not know very well. It’s important to establish some ground rules for dorm room etiquette to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and respected. Here are some dorm room etiquette tips and roommate tips to help you with this process.
11 Important Dorm Room Etiquette Tips
1. Straight Up: Be a Respectful Person
Treat others how others would want to be treated. This is probably the simplest thing you can do. Don’t be rude or mean to your roommate. I met so many people during my freshman year who were just roommates with either post-high school mean girls or guys and wannabe mean girls. One girl literally begged her roommate to bake cookies, then bailed on her and didn’t even eat any. Just be respectful. It’s not hard.
2. Get to know your roommate.
Learning about your roommate can ease the awkwardness and break the ice, especially if you didn’t get the chance over the summer or it was a switch-up last minute. Some people are shy or introverts so be considerate. Ask about their life back home, what they want to do this semester, what their interests are, etc. Also, some roommates want to be strictly roommates and not friends, but getting to know them is one step.
3. Understand how compatible the two of you really are.
One thing I realized midway through the middle of 2020 is that my high school friend and roommate were not the most compatible living together. That is one of the reasons why I avoided having any of my high school friends as my dorm roommate.
My university’s dorm department had a compatibility test. I took it and matched with a girl that I didn’t even know. I had better compatibility living with someone else than with people I saw every day in high school. Now that I’m older, I’d say to any freshman, find out how compatible you are with your roommate because you can be the best of friends, but they’ll have one ick or habit that will piss you off. I’m being 2000% honest. Friendships can be ruined over living together. I saw it happened. 😬
Related: 21 Things I Wish I Knew Before Graduating College | Updated for 2023 College Grads
4. Establish boundaries.
It’s important to talk to your roommate and establish boundaries early on, like before you even move in. Discuss things like cleaning schedules, noise levels, and guests. Some of you (like me) may have never had a roommate or had to share a space with anyone in your life. It’ll be hard at first to find out what you like or dislike, but make sure to tell your roommate some things you won’t tolerate at all.
For example, I did not want random people in our dorm while I’m in there, and I’d ask her to let me know if anyone was coming over. I was honestly just socially awkward back then and didn’t want to talk, lol.
Anyway, make sure you’re both on the same page when it comes to expectations for your shared space.
5. Use headphones and a desk light.
There will be nights when you or your roommate are going to be up studying or finishing an essay. You should have headphones and a desk lamp so you’re not blasting music or keeping the main light on. It’s courteous.
As always, I recommend having AirPods because I use them and can’t go anywhere without them. I also used this desk lamp for a bit.
6. Respectfully share items (or don’t)
Sharing items can be a way you and your roommate save some money on dorm must haves, like a mini fridge or microwave. However, you need to set rules about sharing other items, like food, hygiene products, and other appliances. Let your roommate know what you would like to share with them or if you even want to share stuff.
7. Keep your side and the dorm clean
No one wants to live in a dirty, cluttered space. Make sure you’re cleaning up after yourself and doing your part to keep the room tidy. I know that it gets busy in college and your cleaning schedule won’t be perfect, but try to be neat. Unlike apartments, dorms are completely shared spaces so you can’t be as messy if you both had two separate bedrooms. Try to be as clean the best way you can—don’t leave papers in the middle of the floor or not clean after eating or using the microwave.
Related: 12 Vital Dorm Room Cleaning Supplies You Need To Have a Tidy Room
8. Be considerate of your roommate’s schedule
If your roommate has an early morning class, try to keep noise levels down the night before. Similarly, if you have a late class, try to be quiet when you come back to the room late at night. Being considerate of each other’s schedules will go a long way in maintaining a positive living environment. This will help you get along better.
Also, if you two have the same classes, team up and share notes. That was one of the best perks of having a roommate with similar majors!
9. Be mindful of guests
If you’re having guests over, make sure you’ve cleared it with your dormmate first. Be respectful of their space, and don’t invite too many people over at once. It’s important to make sure everyone in the room feels comfortable and respected.
Like I mentioned earlier, I didn’t like people over when I was in the room. So depending on the time, I wouldn’t mind leaving and hanging out with friends. When my roommate did come over, my roommate apologized for the last-minute request which was appreciated. As I went through college, I changed and became that person with guests over and always told my roommate. Just communicate and ask.
10. Respect personal space
Everyone needs some alone time, so be respectful of your roommate’s personal space. Don’t go through their belongings or use their things without asking first. Going back to my first point: be respectful. I heard rumors about two roommates down the hall arguing and fighting because one was digging through her stuff…like don’t. Just don’t. Respect people’s items and personal space. If you borrow something, return it like how you found it. If your roommate is studying and has headphones in, try not to disturb them.
11. Communicate openly
Communication is key. Learn how to communicate and work with your dorm roommate. As someone who hates confrontation, I know how it’s hard to put your foot down, but you must communicate your needs.
If you’re having issues with your roommate, it’s important to communicate openly and respectfully. Don’t let things go unsolved and become bigger problems down the line. Try to work out any issues together, and if necessary, involve your RA for help handling the situation.
Living in a college dorm can be a great experience. I think that living in a dorm really helped me grow as a freshman. It was my first time living alone away from home and I learned a lot, especially with communicating and time management.
That is it for this blog post about dorm room etiquette.
If you need more help with dorm room living, check out these blog posts:
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