How to get along with your roommate

TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2013 ---  Whether you’re going to be living in residence or off-campus, having a new roommate can be part of a memorable post-secondary education experience – and can be the start of a lifelong friendship. Establishing a strong connection with this individual and creating a friendly atmosphere is also key to creating a positive environment for your academic success. Jen Gonzales, Ryerson University’s residence life and education coordinator, offers these tips to students to help them bond with their new roommates:

1. Get to know each other first
Take some time to get acquainted with your roommate during your first week. Attend orientation events, explore the campus together and find out what interesting student groups or activities you both might like to get involved in. If you’re both enrolled in the same program, you’ll be spending a great deal of time going to class, sharing notes and studying together with other new students you’ll meet.

2. Set some ground rules
It is important to set up some basic house rules with your new roommate(s). To broach this topic without coming across as too heavy-handed, talk about some of the things that are important to you in creating a peaceful place to unwind, study or relax. If you are sharing common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms or living/dining areas, you may want to come up with a cleaning schedule where everyone helps out with general house cleaning duties. Other topics that you may want to bring up are: grocery shopping together, cooking duties, rules for overnight guests or security (locking up your room if living in a shared apartment). By establishing these rules upfront, everyone will be able to live in harmony and reduce unnecessary stress.

3. Respect each other’s differences
People come from vastly different backgrounds and have their own cultural beliefs, values and opinions. Having a new roommate can give you an opportunity to learn about where they grew up and what their unique life experiences are. If your roommate has a cultural, spiritual or religious background that is different from yours, take this as an opportunity to learn about each other’s differences, which will only serve to enrich your life and broaden your perspective as a person.

4. Support each other
In the first year, you or your roommate will most likely run into some challenges, whether it’s feeling homesick or feeling a little overwhelmed with your studies. Having support from your roommate(s) will help you get through those rough patches and have a positive experience. Instead of talking about superficial topics, share your personal interests and thoughts on life and find out what their perspectives are. Cooking a small meal or performing another act of kindness when they’re stressed out will make them feel supported and will strengthen your friendship.

5. Be open and learn to compromise
Learning to live with another person means you need to be flexible and keep the lines of communication open. By being open and flexible with each other, you will navigate through any bumps in your roommate relationship.

6. Learn to resolve conflicts
Living with another person will inevitably lead to a few disagreements. If you find yourself in an argument with your roommate, try communicating in a direct and positive way.

First, avoid gossip and go straight to the source. If you hear from other roommates that one person has an issue with something that involved you, speak directly to that to individual in a non-confrontational way. Otherwise, talking to other friends or floor mates instead of addressing the person directly may add more miscommunication and stress to a situation.

Second, discuss the issue privately with your roommate. Talk about the problem calmly without putting blame on anyone and discuss about it from your perspective. Instead saying “you shouldn’t have done that”, try re-framing it by saying “I was surprised when this happened.” The intention is not to accuse, but instead to find a solution that works for everyone involved.

7. Residence advisor a phone call away
Don’t forget that your residence advisor on your floor is there to support you and give you and your roommate the best residence experience possible. They are responsible for ensuring strong communities are built, conflicts are handled, and that you feel connected to your campus and city! Get to know them quickly and use them as a resource for navigating your roommate experience.

EXPERT AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:

Jen Gonzales
Residence Life and Education Coordinator | Ryerson University
Office: 416-979-5000 x 7987 | j8gonzal@ryerson.ca

MEDIA CONTACT:

Suelan Toye
Public Affairs | Ryerson University
Office: 416-979-5000 x 7161
stoye@ryerson.ca
@RyersonU