Getting along with Your Davis Roommate

College is often the first time folks live on their own, away from their parents. This experience can be both exhilarating and frightening, and some students react by going a little nutsy koo-koo, and forgetting their basic good manners. If you have a Tandem apartment roommate who seems to have reverted to his or her troglodyte roots, these basic live-and-let-live rules of the house might help smooth things out.

1. Don’t Borrow Without Asking

Just because you live together doesn’t mean that what’s yours is theirs or vice versa. Establish that you don’t mind your roommate borrowing or using your stuff (if that’s really the case), as long as she asks first (or if it’s an extreme emergency). This avoids you going to use something and finding it gone or dirty. If you don’t want to share, say so. Your roommate might not have the same ideas about sharing as you do.

2. Keep It Separate

Although you live in a shared space, try to keep your possessions separate. Having separate space in the closet for your books and for your other belongings gives you a sense of having a private space for yourself–even if it’s only 10 feet away from your roommate. When you’re busy, stressed, frustrated or angry, those 10 feet can seem like a mile.

Remember, a little courtesy can go a long way. For more tips and information on rules for living with a Tandem apartment roommate, please visit the link at ohmyapt.com.