Top 10 Reasons Seniors

Surviving dorm life: How can you make the experience the best that it can be? How do you get along with a crazy roommate? Living with roommates is always going to be a challenge, whether it is with the dorm-mate you have now or the spouse that you'll live with someday. Learning how to successfully communicate and thrive in a shared environment is a valuable lesson to learn.

We asked seniors to give us helpful tips for getting along and making the most of living with someone new. Here is insight based on their own experiences.

10 Senior Tips

10. Always ask. Think your music may be too loud for people next door? Ask. Think your roommate may not like you blow drying   your hair at 6 a.m. every morning? Ask. Asking can prevent a lot of communication issues.

9. Be considerate. Be aware of and respect your roomate’s feelings. That means be kind and patient. Also, don’t keep hitting the “snooze” button when your roommate is trying to sleep. Don’t eat your roommate’s food without asking. Try to give your roommate space sometimes….
8. Be open and flexible. Community living is really an opportunity to share a big part of your life with other people. By keeping that in mind you can really appreciate the experience. Find out what you have in common and spend time doing fun things together.

7. Communicate. Have a private talk with your roommate within the first week and make sure that both of you know specific things like bed time, study habits, etc. This will eliminate any potential problems that might arise later on in the year. Talk about issues when they occur, so little things don’t become BIG things.

6. Don't hold grudges. If you have a crazy roomate, you should always try to work through it, because it is not always as big of a deal as it may seem at first. Who knows, you might come to appreciate their craziness.

5. Make memories. Take lots of pictures together to remember the fun you had…the school year always flies by.

4. Make time. Hang out with your roommate…just the two of you. Stay up late and talk.

3. Make your bed. As silly as it sounds, keeping things organized in your dorm room can make a big difference. It is a small space, so keeping your stuff out of your roommate's way will always be appreciated.

2. Set boundaries. Many freshman don’t know how to say ‘NO.' Learn how to do that. Don't let yourself feel taken advantage of, whether it is with bed times, borrowing clothes or sharing food.

1. Use your R.A. If communicating doesn’t seem to work between just you and your roomate, approach your RA. That’s what they are there for- to help you out.