Top 6 Dos & Don'ts of Campus Life
Living in university hall for the first time? Here are some pro tips just for you!
June just ended a day ago and that means summer vacation is coming to an end. ☹️ I bet you've had a great time spending the holidays with your loved ones and can't wait to start the new semester in college!
Whether you're a freshman (or freshie) entering a new university, a penultimate undergraduate returning back to school, or a postgrad student coming over to Singapore to study, this blog post will help you to navigate this new chapter of your life.
Some of you are probably living with someone else (could even be more than one person!) in the same room or even the same building for the first time. Hence, we're giving you some tips on how to survive this new environment! Yep, it's pretty similar to co-living!
Edrie
So, if you want to be a good roommate, just read on!
Introduce yourself
Well, obviously. Duh!
The first step in making friends is of course to let your roommate know who you are. Tell them a little bit about yourself, your major, where you're from, hobbies and more.
Don't forget to ask about them too. Who knows you might share the same favourite movies as them? That could be a conversation starter.
"But they're not in the room when I'm in the room!"
That's not an excuse not to get to know your roommate. You can always leave a little note to say hello. You can also go the extra mile by getting them a little snack or drink, that way they know that you're genuine in starting this friendship!
Edrie
Ring the alarm!
If you're lucky, your roommate could be someone in the same course, attending the same classes. So you'll never have to worry about waking up at different times and such.
But most of the time, your roommate may not share the same timetable as you do. As such, you'll set a different timing for your alarm clock.
So be sure to let your roomie know that you'll be awake at a certain timing, with lights switched on and a little bit of noise while they're asleep. Similarly, you can ask your roomie for their alarm time so that you won't be surprised if their alarm goes off while you're still dozing off.
On top of that, inform your room buddy of your sleeping schedule so that they know when to minimise the noise, you should do the same for them too!
Set boundaries
Since you're sharing a space with someone new, this means you're sharing a lot things with this new stranger. It's crucial for you to establish boundaries for yourself and your roommate.
For instance, none of you should be putting your belongings on each other's table, do not snoop around when your roommate is away among others. Mutual respect for each other's privacy is to be expected.
Discuss these with your new roommate on these things.
Very important - house rules
While your campus may have its own set of rules, it's always good to come to an agreement with your roommate on the extensive house rules for both of you.
Can you eat on the bed? Are parties allowed? Should cleaning be done daily, weekly or fortnightly? Windows open or shut? Is air diffuser allowed?
Some of these questions may seem silly but to different people, these issues can get quite sensitive.
Edrie
To ensure an awesome college dorm experience, have a chat with your roomie and talk it out.
Netflix and chill?
Now, we've come to the hard part (no pun intended).
You might deal with a roomie who tends to bring their friend or even partner to the room most of the time. Or you might be that kind of roomie. 🤪
We're all adults here so let your roomie know if you plan to bring a romantic partner over to spend some time together. Be it just watching a movie together, holding hands, PDA-ing or more.
You can volunteer to go out for a walk, to the gym or even study in the library while they're in the room. That's a smart way to avoid awkward situations!
Have loads of fun
I agree that establishing all these rules are important to kickstart a meaningful relationship with your roommate, but don't you forget to have fun!
Plan a dinner together, go out to see the campus hidden gems, take lots of pics and more!
Hopefully, with these tips you can survive college life smoothly. Let's not deny the fact that living with a total stranger is indeed challenging for some people, so take it slow. Remember, everything works both ways between you and your roommate. Communication is key.
Looking for a room off-campus? Why not move with Cove? Click here to find out more about co-living as a student!