How to Solve Roommate Issues
Having a roommate has many advantages.Splitting bills can help you save your income and sharing chores can help with stress. When trouble arises between you and your roommate, though, things can become a tense situation. Expect disagreements when you live with someone under the same roof for an extended period. Some things that can cause a real strain between you and your roommate are conflicting sleep schedules, violations of personal space and disputes over personal property. Do not let the problems fester; take steps to make amends with your roommate before the situation spins out of control.
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Instructions
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Sit down with your roommate and discuss the matter in a civil tone. Try not to demand their time or sound condescending as you discuss the issue. You might also wait until you both have time to cool off a little bit. You do not want to have your conversation turn into a yelling match that creates a larger rift between you and your roommate.
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Create boundaries when it comes to personal property. Many roommates share things like televisions, but do not take their sharing for granted. Just because roommate shares their television does not mean they want you playing their guitar or borrowing their clothes. Make these boundaries clear about your personal property as well. Most disputes over personal property are simply misunderstandings between you and your roommate.
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Make a schedule for when your friends are able to visit. Constantly having visitors while your roommate is studying or trying to sleep can become irritating. If your roommate is considerate enough to leave one night while you entertain your friends, return the courtesy and leave the next time you want to spend time with your friends. Compromise can get you a long way when you live with a roommate.
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Be considerate of your roommate's sleeping schedule. If you rise early while they rise late, you should not start making a lot of noise as you prepare for your day. Ask your roommate to share the same consideration with you. If you sleep late and your roommate rises early, consider earplugs. Sometimes a person cannot help but make noise as they prepare for their day, so try to block out the noise instead of getting angry and losing sleep over it.
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Tips & Warnings
One of the best ways to live in harmony with your roommate is to discuss ground rules right as you move in. Taking this preventative step can help you and your roommate avoid many arguments.
If you feel that the disagreements with your roommate may actually lead to physical conflicts, consider moving out. If moving out is not an option, let someone else know about the problem so they can serve as a witness. If the conflicts do become physical, your witness may be able to help you get the roommate out of the residence.
