The College Confidential Series: Becoming the Roommate You Want to Have

The College Confidential Series: Becoming the Roommate You Want to Have

Sophie Edwards is a freshman Marketing student at Louisiana Tech University. She shares lessons learned from first-hand experience to high school students and incoming college freshmen.

If you are going to college, you will most likely have a roommate (or a few)! While having a roommate is proven to increase your GPA, enrollment retention, and social life, living with another human can be difficult. Here are five tips on how to be a good roommate!

#1: Communication is crucial. 

My mom says, “expectations that are not expressed are not valid.” If your roommate does something that bothers you, kindly talk to them about it so the problem can be solved. Most of the time, I can easily fix something that bothers my roommate when I am aware of the problem.

#2: Notice the little things. 

Pay attention to the things your roommate does to make your place a home. If they clean the sink, vacuum, or if their space is looking extra nice, thank them!

#3: Create boundaries. 

Roommates should create boundaries on sharing food, inviting friends and family over, and even communication! For example, some people are great friends with their roommates, while others keep their distance. It’s important to kindly and clearly communicate these boundaries to avoid tension. 

#4: Share responsibilities.

Some roommates have chore charts, but some would rather have a more flexible system. However you divide tasks, make sure the work does not all fall on one person and be sure to hold up your end of the deal!

#5: Be kind! 

You don’t have to be best friends with your roommates, but having a friendly, positive culture in your living space will make your new home a safe haven. If your roommate has a busy day, maybe write them a note, do the dishes, or buy them coffee! 

Conclusion

Roommates can teach you valuable lessons that will help you further along in your adult life. Having good relationships with your roommates can help improve your college experience! Keep communication with your roommates kind and consistent, and make sure they feel loved and appreciated by thanking them and helping out when you can.

Make sure to send this to a future roommate!

Want more?

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook @careercompassla to see what we’re up to and to get important updates. Students and their parents can find scholarships, FAFSA and TOPS information, ACT and SAT reminders, application dates, important reminders, and more! 

Written by Louisiana Tech Marketing Student, Sophie Edwards

ICYMI: Five Blogs Every Student Needs to Read

Comment

ICYMI: Five Blogs Every Student Needs to Read

Winter break is finally here, which means students will have a little extra time on their hands between now and the start of the semester. Even though winter break is a great time to rest and recharge after the fall semester, that doesn’t mean it has to go to waste! Whatever you’re working on over winter break - here are five blogs that our student blogger thinks that high school and college students would get a lot from.

Comment

8 Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season

Comment

8 Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us! And if we take no other lesson from 2020, it’s the importance of connecting with family, friends, neighbors, and our community. This holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to give back to others. We hope these ideas will inspire you to get to work in your community helping those who deserve love this time of year. Read more….

Comment

On Giving, Service, and Pivoting in 2020

Comment

On Giving, Service, and Pivoting in 2020

Read about how Career Compass is doing the “2020 Pivot” to ensure that our students receive the extra support and encouragement they need during the 2020-21 school year. With 225Gives, you can get involved in making sure that the Class of 2021 has a plan for life after high school graduation. Read more….

Comment

Time Management When It Seems Like You’re Already Doing So Much

Comment

Time Management When It Seems Like You’re Already Doing So Much

For high school students (especially seniors!) and college students, it can feel overwhelming to prioritize responsibilities and still have time to breathe during the school year. When you have a job and extracurricular activities, the pressure to perform increases even more. But with communication, organization, and a good planner, managing your time between your schoolwork and your extracurricular activities isn’t so bad after all.

Comment

What You Need to Know About This School Year

Comment

What You Need to Know About This School Year

Maybe you’re attending classes in person, maybe you’re Zoom-ing all day, or maybe you’re doing a little bit of both. Either way, this type of school year is not one anyone expected to experience. Our student blogger, Sydney Scott, shares her mindset on approaching this strange school year.

Comment