Guide to moving in with someone new
Some days it is even hard to live with yourself, let alone someone else. But, college life blesses you with this amazing opportunity to share your most intimate secrets with a complete stranger. You might not know how to pronounce their last name, but they will know your bathroom schedule, sex life and which subjects are you failing. Okay, it is not so bad as it sounds. Wait, let us rephrase that – moving in with someone new can be the worst experience of your life, but not if you read this article and prepare yourself. See, we told you it is not going to be so bad!
Should I even move in with someone I don’t know?
Jokes aside, sharing your space with someone you are not so comfortable with can turn into a very tricky situation, and while you are in college, you are most certainly going to find yourself in that exact situation – moving in with someone new. We truly believe that if two people (or even more!) are willing to compromise anything can be arranged, that is why we have created this list, so help you through this process and facilitate the agreements. Remember that it is important to be nice at first, but show your teeth if the situation requires it. You will encounter all sorts of people to share your apartment or dorm room with, they are not all the same and don’t deserve the same treatment.
When moving in with someone new, show them who you are
It is important not to hide things from your future roommates, mostly because they are going to find out about it anyway. So, your lifestyle, habits, planned visits, and general behavior should be explained to them as soon as possible, so you can avoid any problems in the future. Same goes for your new roommate, you have every right to ask them things, even if they seem a bit too private. If you won’t be able to shower in the morning because her boyfriend is enjoying a nice hot bath, well, that is something that should definitely be discussed in advance.
Be as open as you can, but also be aware that you might need to be flexible and adjust your own needs with the needs of your roommate. Sharing an apartment with someone you don’t know can bring a lot of surprises, but not all of them have to be bad. Perhaps, your new roommate likes to bake, so you will begin your mornings with pancakes and cupcakes, and who doesn’t like that?
- After the initial getting to know, create some ground rules
Who should do the dishes?
Unless you and your roommate are literally the same person (fyi, it never happens), you should discuss some general rules that will be obeyed by both sides in your new apartment. How long is it okay to leave the dishes in the sink? When is it okay to have people over? Can you smoke in the common area? Are you allowed to enter in their room? Is it okay to borrow stuff, and which ones? How loud can the music be? There is a lot of things that you should be discussing and although it seems kind of uptight it is much better to get this out of the way so you wouldn’t be up for a nasty surprise in the future. Every person has its own set f behaviors and rules and sometimes it might be difficult to make them fit together, but you can’t complain that something bothers you if you never said it when you were asked. So, make a list and be as thorough as possible. It will save you from a lot of trouble down the road. Not getting along with your roommate is such a common problem that you can find a lot of helpful tips. Check out this article for some of them.
Before moving in with someone you don’t know, arrange who takes what
Calling shotgun will not help you in this situation because it is more than necessary that you do a walkthrough of your apartment before actually unpacking your stuff with your new roommate. You should divide, any way you see fit all of the storage spaces, pick rooms and make an agreement for all of the common areas. It is very easy to get “lost in translation” and create a ton of misunderstandings regarding which is which and if you don’t make any sort of agreement you are bound to have conflicts in the future. And who on Earth wants to have a 2 AM fight about drawers? Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion, but prepare to compromise, in case the situation requires it.
Money is always an issue when moving in with someone new
Organize your finances when moving in with someone
People never address this burning question of sorting out your finances and making arrangements with their roommates, and it is the most common source of disagreement amongst people who start living together without knowing each other. Do you share food or do you give half of the money? Who buys cleaning supplies and other necessary things for the apartment? What can you lend without paying and what is off limits? Make sure that you are not paying for something you are not using, and don’t be stubborn when faced with a money-related conflict. It might still be a taboo, but it is a topic worth discussing.
Moving in with someone new can turn out to be the most rewarding experience of your life because it enables you to really meet someone you might not even consider. Strangers become as close as family and provide you with a whole range of amazing experiences. But, it is a double-edged sword, so try to avoid common mistakes people make when moving in with someone they don’t know, be smart and most importantly be respectful. Be open for compromise and work on your patience and tolerance. Everyone needs to have their own space and time especially in college, where everything else is pretty chaotic. Make your place a peaceful new home and you will have the best time. If not, make sure to tell us all the horror stories related to your roommate, we will be thrilled to hear them!