For many, part of the college experience is getting to spend the upcoming semester living with someone else.
Many students like to share rooms with their closest friends, but that is not always the case for first-year students. Whoever you spend your semester with, it is important to practice being a good roommate.
This starts by being open and friendly. Find a topic of conversation that you are both interested in and get to know each other. Proper communication can go a long way for roommates in the same dorm or apartment.
Sleeping arrangements are another area to think about because they can become a big problem in shared spaces. If you are up earlier or later than your roommate(s), try to be quiet. Show courtesy: do not turn on overhead lights or bring another person into the room if someone is sleeping. Set boundaries and remember there will be times when conflicts arise. When they do, take time to reflect and act wisely and lovingly. Always make sure to immediately address problems.
Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Be flexible. If they need extra space, be thoughtful and give them what they need. Healthy boundaries help roommates get along well.
When decorating, coordinating can be fun, but if styles differ, try to find decorations you can both agree on, such as a rug, couch or lamp.
Keeping the room tidy and dividing responsibilities can help grow your relationship with your roommate.
There is rarely ever a perfect roommate relationship, so learning to be patient with the person you are living with is crucial. Avoid lashing out in anger or passive-aggressive comments when issues arise.
Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Most important of all, treat them as a fellow human being. They have their own struggles just as you do, and it is important to remain aware of that. You may not always get along with your roommate, but no matter what you should strive to love them as Jesus does.
Fogal is a POV reporter for The Liberty Champion.