<p>I'm reading through this "Roommate horror stories" thread and I'd like to make a thread that has all the ground rules 2 (or more) roommates should have with one another to make the experience enjoyable.</p>
<p>Anyone want to start? Add as many as you like.</p>
<ul>
<li>Overnight guests
<ul>
<li>Guests of the opposite sex</li>
<li>Cell phone use (hours, in the room or in the hall, etc.)</li>
<li>Music (types, volume, headphones)</li>
<li>TV use</li>
<li>Study time</li>
<li>Borrowing clothes & other belongings (DVDs, CDs, etc.)</li>
<li>Sharing (or not sharing) food</li>
<li>Bedtime</li>
<li>Alarm settings (how many times can you hit snooze?)</li>
<li>Locking the door</li>
<li>Using each others things (microwave, fridge, TV, computer, stereo, etc.)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>Useful Links:
[The</a> Talk All Roommates Must Have - Move.com](<a href=“http://www.move.com/rentals/living-with-roommates/The-Talk-All-Roommates-Must-Have.aspx]The”>Apartments and Houses for Rent | realtor.com®)
[How</a> to Get Along With Your Roommate | eHow.com](<a href=“http://www.ehow.com/how_8071_along-with-roommate.html]How”>http://www.ehow.com/how_8071_along-with-roommate.html)
[How</a> to Be a Good Roommate and Deal with Those Who Aren’t](<a href=“How to Be a Good Roommate and Deal with Those Who Aren't”>How to Be a Good Roommate and Deal with Those Who Aren't)
[Surviving</a> College Life Setting Roommate ?Ground Rules? - Survive College with tips about roommates, studying, and more!](<a href=“http://www.survivingcollegelife.com/2007/09/10/setting-roommate-“ground-rules”/]Surviving”>http://www.survivingcollegelife.com/2007/09/10/setting-roommate-“ground-rules”/)
[College</a> Roommate Rules](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Campus Life – BigFuture | College Board)
. . . There are many resources online that offer tips. (;</p>
<p>The only rule we had was, “Don’t be an annoyance”</p>
<p>It applies to anything</p>
<p>thanks cherryapple</p>
<p>to the other 2 guys, i know that the basic rule should be “dont be a dick”, but sometimes you need to have other rules as well</p>
<p>it’s just like in the real world… they have laws about stuff you can and cant do, they dont just say “dont do bad things”</p>
<p>Our room didn’t need any strict rules, nor did we really have any talks about expectations. One implicit rule was no sex in the room, but that was never going to be an issue because of personal beliefs. Other than that, be respectful etc. I was not always the best roommate, but we all tried.</p>
<p>As an RA, these are some good rules that help solve problems before they happen…but they’re about the meeting, not the actual dorm.</p>
<p>-Be specific with your rules. Don’t just say “be respectful”…define that. For example, “if you come in and I’m sleeping, please don’t turn the TV on/turn the light on/etc.” “Please let me know x hours in advance if you’re having company.”
-Be willing to compromise. Someone may think a rule is stupid/unnecessary; explain to them why it’s important to you to discuss this now ("I want to have a good relationship with you since we’re living together). Ask them what rule they would rather use instead.
-Discuss how you’re going to confront the situation if someone isn’t living by the rules you set down. That way you can say, “You agreed that we would live by these rules, and we would handle it in this fashion if someone was having an issue.”
-TALK TO EACH OTHER. None of you can read minds. Most of the time, people don’t realize that what they’re doing is annoying someone. Usually if you tell them, “hey, it really bothers me when you do _____________, can you try not to do it in the future?” they’ll agree and everyone can move on.
-In regards to the above, try and let people know what annoys you when it’s a small issue. Don’t let things build up to the point where you have to bring in your RA because the two of you hate each other. I can almost guarantee that 99% of the time your RA will ask you, “Well have you tried talking to your roommate about it?”</p>
<p>I know most of these things seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many issues we see because people aren’t specific enough with their rules & don’t talk to each other about issues.</p>
<p>Mine and my roommate’s basic rules are: </p>
<p>-We had a set time of when we would kick people out (we both have 8 AMs).
-We have veto power on each other’s music (or they have to headphone-it).
-She takes care of garbage, I take care of recycling. That way we don’t have to worry about whose “turn” it is.
-Don’t have sex while the other person is in the room. </p>
<p>That’s pretty much it with us lol. Everything else is fair game. We basically lived with each other last year in the dorms so we know each other’s pet peeves and the like. Most of it is about common sense and communication.</p>
<h1>==</h1>
<h1>====</h1>
<h1>======</h1>
<p>========
Set agreements, just a few:</p>
<p>Set Study time /Quite Time /CC Time </p>
<p>Set Noisy Time/ TV CD Accordion Banjo Flute Baby Grand hehe etc.</p>
<p>Set Guest hours, heh enforce by loudly announcing the set time. on the minute</p>
<p>Set Overnight guest, who and under what conditions, what nights</p>
<p>Set Sleep time and rising time /lights /alarm clock(s) /rooster(s)</p>
<p>Set Room key sharing and locking of doors /lost his/her key so decides to leave door unlock allowing access to your PC that you view CC on</p>
<p>Set open windows /room temp </p>
<p>Set lending /borrowing of certain personal items /credit cards</p>
<p>Set how large items are being cared for /microwave /fridge /TV /stereo /pool table</p>
<p>Set wall space territories /outline and label borders /enforce illegal immigration</p>
<p>Set Telephone guidelines with respects to taking /delivering messages /don’t use your hip vernacular (hint: give cell phone to intern reps not room phone) </p>
<p>Set Answering machine guidelines /listening /erasing etc. </p>
<p>Set room cleaning guidelines /recycling /garbage dispo /etc.</p>
<p>Set personal hygiene habits /showers /washing the dog</p>
<p>Set noxious odor habits /smoking /incense /loads of laundry /that pizza under your bed </p>
<h1>Set personal habits /medication /alcohol /drug use</h1>
<h1>=============</h1>
<h1>=========</h1>
<h1>=====</h1>
<p>=</p>
<p>Medication?</p>
<p>You have an answering machine? o.O</p>
<p>who takes out the trash, when and how often!!! Stinkkkkkkaaaay!
&
what can go in the fridge</p>
<p>99% of the time, talking solves problems and may even prevent problems from occurring. I caution that I had a roommate who fit the 1% residual. Talking to him made things worse because he had such a spiteful personality that you couldn’t ask him to do something without risking a reprisal. If you find that your roommate is excessively spiteful, then awkward as it may be, silence is actually the best solution. Again, this is only 1% of the time.</p>
<p>I found that the guys on my freshman hall who had roommate issues were the ones who didn’t set fair rules regarding visits with the opposite sex. In two cases, for example, the guy with a girlfriend would ALWAYS kick his roommate out whenever she came over. That is not fair; the room is shared by the roommates. The single guy is wrong to always say no, but the guy with a girlfriend is wrong to always say “leave.” My roommate and I had a deal where we’d take turns with the room. If I left this time, then I could stay next time and he’d find another place to do his thing. But if I stayed this time, then I’d have to stay in the lounge for a few hours next time.</p>
<p>^Wow, there aren’t any Housing rooms to prevent that? I’m appalled. >.></p>
<p>I’m surprised, no mention of the “sock on the door” rule?</p>
<p>my school has roommates and suitemates meet with the ra and he goes through a list and we decide how we want it and then sign a contract. luckily me and my roommate have very similar habits, so it was very easy. with me its just be considerate</p>