Living under the same roof with someone who is not your sibling is not easy.
But sometimes circumstances such as college life or when you are still hunting for a job force you to live with someone.
But fret not; it doesn’t have to be so difficult. You can come up with some written house rules to be followed by both of you if that will help make things easier. And, you must also work on yourself to ensure you are a good roommate to your partner.
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Here are some tips on how to be a good roommate:
1. Communicate
Communication is the foundation of every healthy relationship. If your roommate does something that offends you, don’t just suffer silently. Speak up and let them know how you feel. Sometimes they may not even know that they hurt you if you don’t speak up.
2. Clean up
Now, don’t be that roommate who never does the dishes, empties the trash and never cares about your personal hygiene. Learn to be active and don’t burden your roomie with household chores.
3. Be nice
Your roommate does not need to be your friend for you to be nice to them. Treat them kindly and deal with them the way you would like them to deal with you.
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Always be nice to your roomie (UC Berkeley)
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4. Space
The fact that you are sharing a house does not mean that you share everything. Respect their personal space and stuff and they will do the same. Don’t just slide into their bed or use their personal stuff without their permission.
5. Guests
You might have to discuss about all matters guests. First you need to agree on whether you should be receiving visitors, the types of visitors and the visiting hours. And, be kind to your roomie’s visitors because even if you fought with your roommate, they have nothing to do with it.
6. Be considerate
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Don’t disturb your roommate when they are studying (Hpssociety)
Sounds like no brainer but it’s pretty important. Don’t invite friends over for a house party without involving your roommate. Also, you can’t just disturb their sleep or studies with loud music.
Source: Lifestyle.NG