Newswise — Before you even set foot on the campus, find an opportunity to talk to your roommate over the summer to establish some basic ground rules and expectations.
Things to discuss: "¢ Room furnishings and appliances - figure out who will be bringing what. If you have duplicate items, you may not have enough space in your room and may end up sending things home."¢ Your habits, interests, expectations and needs - don't assume that your roommate will share your values. A clear understanding upfront can alleviate problems down the line."¢ Start talking about guest arrangements, personal use of belongings, study time, privacy needs, taking phone messages, cleaning and locking of the room door. By the time you actually move in and finalize living arrangements, you will have a pretty good sense of things you both will be able to agree on.
Roommate etiquette."¢ TALK, TALK, TALK! If you don't communicate, you're going to haveproblems. "¢ Be considerate of differing points of view. Living with someone can lead tonever before thought of issues -- especially with someone you already consider to be a friend. "¢ Compromise. You can't always get your way. Learn to sacrifice."¢ Stand up for yourself. You can't let your roommate dominate you."¢ Establish personal space. Set your boundaries and how firm they are. Some people need more personal space than others."¢ Be open to new experiences, cultures and ways of life. Shutting people out can cause huge rifts and you miss out on great learning opportunities. "¢ If you are a loud talker on the phone, try to tone it down or use your cell out of the room."¢ Share, but ask first--after a while you'll start buying things together and sharing without even saying anything. But at first, definitely ask."¢ Respect sleeping habits."¢ Set an agreement on overnight guests"¢ Decide how loud music and television should be. "¢ Agree on which items are shareable " such as television, radio, etc"¢ Respect roommate's privacy"¢ Set study or quiet time, specially at night
What NOT to do."¢ Don't stereotype."¢ Don't accuse."¢ Don't abuse."¢ Don't take advantage of."¢ Don't ridicule."¢ Don't antagonize."¢ Don't act passive-aggressively.
Dorm room decorating tips"¢ A gum ball machine looks good and provides great study snacks. "¢ An ottoman can provide extra seating or a hideaway for extra clutter. "¢ Lighting can be both fashionable and functional. A clip-on light or an arm lamp for late-night studying is a necessity. Add mini-lights strung across the room for a funky but personal touch. "¢ Plants provide a touch of green " just remember to water them! "¢ Consider stacking storage shelves on top of desks and dressers to hold stray stuff. Don't forget under-the-bed space. Plastic storage units are perfect for holding odds and ends."¢ A cork board and your own dry erase board for your wall."¢ Dress the walls with fabric, posters, decorative fans or wall hangings. Don't forget to use fun tack, tape or other removeable adhesives - not nails. "¢ Lots and lots of photos " they do the soul good! "¢ Limit the amount of fragile objects. Things can break in dorms more easily than in the 'real' world.Remember, don't bring too much to start, you'll accumulate stuff over time.
Tips for moms and dads for moving-in day "¢ Don't embarrass your student by getting angry at campus staff. The staff really do have your student's best interest in mind and do this for a living, so take a moment, breathe and be as easy going as possible! If you're cooperative and friendly, it'll make any problems you and your student encounter ten times easier to work through. And most importantly, relax. Stressing out doesn't make the transition easier. "¢ Leave early so as to arrive in plenty of time. If not, your student could end up feeling rushed and overwhelmed, or even miss part of orientation or other initial meetings. "¢ Expect challenges. It's a big process and it's not going to be perfect."¢ Don't be pushy. Give your child some space to get used to the new surroundings."¢ Enjoy. It's a wonderful experience if you approach it right. Be sure to celebrate the transition!
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