College Housing
On-campus or off-campus?
If you choose to attend a four year college/university, many of them have housing options for students offered on campus. Below, the pros and cons of living on-campus verses off-campus living will be discussed. Ultimately, a lot of the decision depends upon what works best for you, the college that you’re going to, and the area that you will be in.
Roommates
Whether you’re living on or off campus, there is a good chance that you will experience having roommates. Here are some tips to help you and your roommates to get along well.
Communication is the most important thing for roommates to get along well. Even if you aren’t best friends and have different interests, communication can help you to still be compatible roommates.
When you first move into your dorm or new apartment, make a time for all the roommates to sit together and talk. How clean does everyone expect the space to be? How will you divide the chores? Are you willing to share food that you buy? Do they need to ask before using your things? How quiet do you like your space to be? What is the policy on having guests over?
Writing down what you all agree on can be helpful. Even though a contract might seem awkward, having some type of roommate policies/rules/agreements written out can help everyone be clear and remember what you all have agreed to.
If something is bothering you, sit down and have a conversation about it. Having an awkward and slightly uncomfortable conversation can help prevent big fights and misunderstandings in the future.
If you need to have a difficult conversation, try to write notes beforehand. This way, even if you get upset, you can use your note to help you share what you wanted to say.
Use “I statements” to help communicate how you are feeling and what your perspective on a situation is. These statements help you focus on sharing how you are feeling without blaming others. See more on “I statements” here.