Lily Huynh/The Cougar
Sharing a living space can lead to great adventures and create long-lasting friendships; however, it can also be difficult living with others, due to stress and responsibilities that can create conflict.
Conflict is bound to spark with being stuck in one area with someone 24/7, so preventing it is key to maintain peace at home and create a positive living situation.
Here are some tips to avoid conflict with your roommate:
Open communication
When first living with anyone, people need to communicate their dislikes, preferences and scheduling to their roommates so they can understand each other’s situations.
Open conversation also promotes creating a comfortable environment. Whether that be moving in with a best friend or a stranger, getting to know someone when living together is crucial.
These conversations will make it easier to confront or avoid a problem when there is trust between two people. Checking in regularly is also efficient for having open conversations.
Set boundaries
Living in a space together means shared rent, chores and a wall, but that does not mean people have to share everything.
Setting boundaries with a roommate will give them a clear understanding of limits and expectations.
Define what personal space means to each other and how to go about using the shared spaces. Create an agreement on how the bathroom, kitchen and living room will be cleaned and maintained.
This also comes with recognizing emotional boundaries.
Roommates will go through the best and worst days with each other, including seeing each other’s stress and sadness. Knowing how the other person handles their stress is key to avoiding escalated situations.
Respect differences
Living with someone else can be a shock and can unbalance schedules or customs.
Introducing respect into the living area can bring neutrality and understanding.
This can also help sort out flexibility and compromise within problems.
Respecting differences can create win-win outcomes in situations that benefit both parties.
Differences can also be fun. Being invited to see into another person’s life can open new experiences that would have never been open otherwise.
This can range from being shown new foods to learning how to ride a motorcycle.
Be flexible about living styles
Recognize living styles and how they might differ. Things like tidiness levels, quit hours and social needs are examples of routines that are different with every person.
Adjusting a person’s expectations to accommodate both schedules will prevent tension.
By allowing a person’s time to be appreciated will create peaceful understanding.
Be aware and start conversations that include finding a middle ground on what is most important to the other person.
