Let’s face it: your roommate isn’t always
your best friend. Sometimes you may find a roommate on an apartment listing
site, through your job, or through a mutual acquaintance.
When you move in with somebody that you
don’t know quite so well, you can still get to know them and maybe even become
friends! And believe it or not, you don’t even need to have lots of things in
common or similar schedules. All it takes is a little bit of creativity and
effort to making apartment living a pleasure for you and your roommate.
ApartmentGuide.com published a nice article
with some tips for getting to forge a real friendship with your new roommate.
Here are some of them:
Go on a
campus or neighborhood adventure. Whether you both
know the area or not, you two can both discover new things just by walking
outside and exploring the sights and sounds. Don’t make any formal plans – just
choose a mild day to walk around together and see what happens. You never know
what you might discover: a hidden coffee shop, a quiet study spot or even an
easy shortcut to class or work.
Break bread
together. Even if you were complete strangers a few
weeks ago, eating is not negotiable. Why not do it together? Try to make it a
regular practice to enjoy a meal with your roommate. This could be at the
campus dining hall or a local spot near your apartment. Trying a new place
might be a fun experience for both of you. If you’re really on a budget,
alternate preparing meals at home – or just cook together! The point is, a
mutual breaking of bread offers you the chance to chat, catch up and really get
to know the person who sleeps just a few feet away every night.
“Break
Bad” together. After a long day of classes and/or
work, few things will excite you more than knowing that later on you’ll get to
unwind with a bowl of popcorn watching an awesome show with your equally
awesome roommate. This tradition can make living with a roommate fun. Even if
you two have had a disagreement, primetime bonding can be an easy way to forget
your spat, at least temporarily. So fire up that DVR! If there’s no TV in the
main living room and you don’t feel comfortable in each other’s bedrooms,
stream your favorite show on a laptop or tablet. Make a ritual of it. Order in
Chinese on TV binge night and chow down while you catch up on all the shows you
both missed that week.
Make his
or her favorite comfort food. You’ll be one of
the first to know when your roommate is having a bad day. From a low test score
to family or relationship troubles, everyone could use some cheering up now and
then. If you know your roommate’s favorite snack, be a good sport and surprise
him or her. We’re not suggesting you go into full-blown maternal mode and spend
hours preparing a giant pot of homemade chicken soup. Keep it simple with a
quick snack that your roommate will appreciate when he or she gets home from a
long, stressful day.
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