As a UGA student looking for off-campus housing, the prospect of having roommates may be of interest to you. Although having roommates can be a fun and great way to establish long-lasting friendships, it can also have its challenging aspects. Whether you're planning on rooming with friends or strangers through roommate matching, knowing how to set boundaries with the people you live with is crucial to maintaining a peaceful living environment–something that is necessary for a busy college student.
How to Set Boundaries in Your Athens Apartment
When it comes to setting boundaries, the first thing you should do is figure out exactly what your boundaries are. What are the things that make you uncomfortable? This can include your feelings surrounding cleanliness, noise, lights, your possessions, and anything else that is relevant to everyday living. Once you have that figured out, it's best to establish a time to communicate those with your roommates. Ideally, you and your roommates should already have an open line of communication going before settling into your Athens apartment–most likely through a group chat. However, I would recommend having this conversation in-person to ensure that everyone is present and listening. Face-to-face conversations can also make it easier to understand someone's tone when speaking and it's also more humanizing than a text conversation. It's also important to keep in mind that everyone's boundaries are equally important, and you and your roommates should come to an agreement that you will respect each other's wishes. If some boundaries clash, you all should work together to establish a new boundary that benefits everyone. One thing to note about living with others, is that people have different lifestyles that may not always work together. Therefore, compromise is a necessary skill that you will need to have and be open to while having roommates.
What to Do if You Have a Disagreement with Your Roommate(s)
Getting along with your roommates may not always be easy, but you always should remember to be respectful. In the event of a disagreement, it's important to remain as civilized and respectful as possible. Everyone should avoid resorting to passive aggressive tendencies and maintain that honest and open line of communication. If you find yourself extremely upset over something, I recommend taking some time to cool down before confronting anyone. Setting up a time for you and your roommates to talk about it is the best thing to do in this situation. During the conversation, each person should be given a chance to speak and respectfully communicate how they feel. Once everyone is done, you should then come to an agreement that settles whatever issues you were having with each other.