Tips for Living with Roommates

After I committed to CMU as a senior in high school, I remember feeling a flurry of emotions: excitement, pride and of course, nervousness. One of the main things I was nervous about was living with a roommate. Of course, sharing a room with a stranger for an entire year is anxiety- inducing. 

But, I also remember feeling worried about how I would be as a roommate. Do I snore a lot in my sleep? Am I messy? What if my roommate and I don’t get along? 

Luckily, my freshman year roommate turned out to be absolutely amazing! We met over Instagram and after a quick FaceTime call, we decided that we would work well together. We had a great coexisting experience and we truly made that traditional double in Donner our home.  However, sharing a living space can definitely be challenging. 

Here are some tips to help you thrive while living with a roommate at CMU: 

1. Communicate early on 
   Clear communication is the foundation of any successful roommate relationship. It may be hard to talk about, but have an open discussion early on about your expectations, habits and boundaries. Some good topics include sleep schedules, cleaning responsibilities and visitors. 

   
   Being proactive about this conversation can help avoid resentment and misunderstandings later. You will also learn more about your roommate!

2. Respect each others privacy
   Even if you are living together, remember that everyone needs their own personal space. It’s natural to want some time to yourself, especially with the busy schedules at CMU. Respect your roommate’s need for alone time and make sure they are respectful of your time as well. 
   
   Going back to the first tip- communicate! Talk about your boundaries and send them a quick text if you need some time alone to study or recharge. Always ask before borrowing clothes or belongings and always knock before entering the room. Boundaries are crucial for maintaining a peaceful and respectful atmosphere.
3. Maintain a clean space 
   I know we’ve all seen the TikTok trend where one side of the dorm room is messy and the other side is spotless. We’ve all laughed when these videos pop up on our feeds, but I promise you will not be laughing in real life.  
   
   Discuss a cleaning schedule early on to avoid the “I thought you were going to do that” argument. Take turns cleaning and organizing shared responsibilities such as taking out the trash and vacuuming the floors. It also helps to keep your side of the room tidy! Doing small daily tasks such as making your bed, wiping surfaces and clearing away general clutter will make the living space so much more enjoyable for both you and your roommate.
4. Don't be afraid to ask for help
   Living with roommates can sometimes feel like a balancing act and while most situations can be resolved through communication, there are times when external help might be needed. If you're facing problems that you can't resolve on your own, don't hesitate to seek support.
   CMU has a ton of great resources for dealing with inter-dorm conflict. Every student living on campus has a designated Resident Assistant (RA), who lives in the residence hall and serves as a direct point of contact for the residents on their floor. RAs can serve as a great resource when it comes to potential issues with your roommate or if you have any questions or concerns about other residents.
   
   I remember my freshman year, a couple people on my floor had complaints about noise levels. Our RA listened to our concerns carefully and sent out a friendly message to the floor, which helped solve the conflict.