On Transitioning to Dorm Life

Going into college, and moving into the dorms, the only thing I was concerned about was how I was going to transition from having a big room all by myself at home, to sharing a 12ft by 12ft room with someone I didn't even know. Even if you're moving in with your best friend, there are boundaries that are going to arise that you both didn't even know could exist between the two of you. Living with someone can change you, so adjustments have to be made.

The biggest thing you have to realize is that your roommate is going through the same adjustments as well, so it's important to talk about what the other can do to help make it more easy. Don't be afraid of doing this. If you're uncomfortable talking with them, talk to your RA and they'll help you work something out between your roommate and you. RA's can be a big help in managing these types of situations (that's what they're there for!).
To be more specific, instead of just saying "don't be afraid to talk to them," here are some sure ways to make your living situation and transition a little more smooth:

• Don’t be afraid to ask him/her to change something about their routine
• If you need boundaries, set them- if they are crossing them, tell them
• Ask them, “is this okay?"
• Ask them how their day was- trust me, if there's any awkwardness or tension between the two of you, doing this will make it disappear.
  
• Don’t take their stuff without asking
• ASK, ASK, ASK

Generally, you'll have suite mates to be considerate of as well. You'll probably share a bathroom with them and they'll probably think they're the only ones who use the bathroom. It'll probably annoy you. At least that was my experience. Don't be afraid to go and knock on their door at two in the morning when they've just been in the bathroom screaming on the phone and playing music(I know I've had to do that). Sometimes people need the reality check that, oh, I'm not the only person in the universe. This basically applies to everything pertaining to suitemates. If you don't spend time with them, they might not realize you're a living human being sharing a bathroom with them. Knock on their door or, if you have to, write them a note. I had suitemates who played their music too loud and trashed the bathroom, so I became pro at passive aggressive notes because they could never hear my knocks.

Doing these tips should help you feel a little more at home. You'll have set the boundaries and learned the best way to communicate with the people you live with, and from there, you can continue your transition from living at home and having space, to living in the dorms and feeling cramped. The best way I learned to deal with the minimum amount of space was to

• Clean up after yourself. Always having dirty dishes or laundry around the room will make you feel cluttered and cramped.
• Make sure to spend some time outside of the room. Hopefully they'll do this, too, and you'll be able to get some alone time in the room. For that period of time, you can feel like you're at home again with your own room. You'll be able to breathe again. Side note: even if you're best friends with your roomie, it's always good to have some time alone from them.
• Rearrange the room sometimes! I swear my roomie and I rearranged our room at least once a month. Sometimes the room became stuffy and started to feel way too much like a dorm, and rearranging the furniture helped change this vibe.

The last and most important tip that doesn't quite relate to this post, but has everything to do with having a roommate is SHARE YOUR FOOD WITH THEM. It'll bring you two closer together.