The College Student’s Guide to a Good Roommate Relationship
A new school year is just around the corner, and students across the country are getting ready to move into their new dorms or apartments. For those students moving into their new digs with a roommate or multiple roommates, it’s an exciting time to have a place to call home and have a good time. But having roommates can put stress on anyone, especially around studying, sleeping, and social time.
With this in mind, it’s important for college students to understand how they can have a rewarding and even-keeled home with their suitemates or apartment roommates. Here are some tips to take heed of when going into moving day.
Have Clear Communication
From the start, all those living under one roof should understand the importance of clear and consistent communication. As roommates, you’ll be sharing a smaller space, not to mention time in the kitchen and bathroom, not to mention having to take care of errands and chores around the space. Plus, there’s the actual living lifestyle that each roommate has.
Someone may like to play music loud, or someone may leave dishes in the sink, or someone may forget to turn the TV off regularly. It’s important to have these conversations early to understand expectations and what needs to be addressed so everyone has a pleasant living experience. This establishes things from the start and sets a foundation of having regular communication throughout the term of the school year/lease.
Taking Care of Bills
If you’re living in an apartment or house, you’ll need to take care of things like utilities, groceries, water bills, and Internet payment. After you set these accounts up, be sure to have an understanding as to who will be in charge of making payments and gather the equal funds from everyone else. Waiting until the last minute to figure this out each month can have negative effects on who’s responsible and can even reflect poorly on your standing with your services.
Another bill to consider is renters insurance for college students. This kind of local coverage, such as renters insurance CT, can help to provide the protection needed to keep everyone and everything safe within an apartment or house. Renters insurance for college students is specifically made for the home you’re creating off-campus. From providing protection for theft, vandalism, fire, and flood, this kind of coverage is an inexpensive and effective solution to ensuring the integrity of what’s under your roof.
Sharing is Caring, Most of the Time
It may be an obvious thing, but some roommates feel comfortable using their roommates’ things, like appliances, bathroom, and eating their food. Don’t assume they won’t mind if you finish their leftovers or use their electronics without asking. It’s good to ask early and make sure you know what is okay to use and what’s off-limits. This will help to save some conflicts and major headaches throughout the school year.
Be Cautious About Guests
One roommate may be very social and extroverted and like having people over every night, throughout the entire night. Maybe this person is you and your roommate isn’t as social. This can put a strain on the living dynamics as someone in the apartment may not be comfortable with having strangers over in general, let alone on a regular basis. There should be a discussion about who is allowed over and over what circumstances. Plus, conversations like this invite openness and understanding and can help with ensuring a feeling of safety and trust.
Lock It Up
Sometimes college kids are forgetful. From having class to study time to part-time work, there are a lot of things going on in the minds of young college kids. This may lead to some forgetfulness, however, and things like locking doors or setting alarms may fall victim. Locking the doors and windows is important for keeping you and your property safe. It’s not just your stuff you have to worry about–it’s your safety and well-being.
About Byrnes Agency
At Byrnes Agency, we offer insurance solutions that can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for personal policies or commercial coverage, we have the right coverage for you. To learn more about our products, contact us today at one of our two locations.
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