Must have roommate rules!

Must-have roommate rules!

1. Fundamental Rules

This is a method I learned from my RA (Residential Assistant). He came to our room to sit us down and ask us questions about scenarios such as “What is the latest you want the room lights to be on” or “When can your roommate bring over guests” and more to help my roommate and me understand the basic expectations we have of each other. This worked exceptionally well for her and me for the entire academic year, and is something I replicated soon after moving into the apartment with my friends.

3. Game Nights/ Occasional Outings

While this may sound silly, sometimes, lost in our weekly routine, we sometimes forget that our roommates aren’t just roommates; they are also our friends. In the “hecticness” of “Can you buzz me in” and “Can I borrow some eggs”, it is important that you set time aside for your friends to maintain the closeness you started off with. My roommates and I have realised that we have a huge thing for playing cards. From games such as Palace to Black Jack and everything in between, we love to set time aside for each other to laugh together and love each other.

With the help of such rules, I am very grateful to think of my roommates as my second family oceans apart from my real one.

– xoTani

Learn More about On-Campus Housing

One of the best parts about college is that you can move out and start living your life with your friends. In my case, as an international student, I left my home and family to fly thousands of kilometres away to pursue my higher education here at DePaul. During my freshman year, I was blessed to have a great roommate with whom I shared a room at Munroe Hall in LPC. For my sophomore year, a couple of friends and I decided to sign a lease to rent an Apartment and move in together instead.

Here are some of the MUST-HAVE roommate rules I think you should establish within the first week of moving in.

2. Chore List

Currently, my roommates and I have divided the major house chores into three: Bathroom cleaning, Kitchen cleaning and sweeping and vacuuming the house. Every week, we rotate these to change things up a bit and ensure that our space is hygienically appropriate for us to live in. Our respective bedrooms are our personal space, and everyone is in charge of their rooms. This helps us make sure that the housework does not fall on one person. At the end of the day, we are all students with busy schedules, so the point here is not to burden anyone but to pay attention to the fact that everyone is putting in their effort for the apartment.