One of the biggest learning opportunities college has provided me hasn’t been in the classroom; it’s been in my home away from home. Learning how to live peacefully under the same roof with different people has been a huge challenge. Differences also arise in the way people are raised and problems occur when there are clashing personalities. But there really is something to be learned from all of it!

I’ve had my fair share of roommate issues. At first I thought, “Maybe something is wrong with me”, but I’ve come to find that everyone encounters problems with their roommates, whether they’re friends or not. A big issue in my apartment this year is different standards of cleanliness. We’ve also had problems when it comes to guests and partying.

I won’t get into any specifics, but my advice for everyone is this: sit down at the beginning of the year and establish rules with your roommates. Whether you live with one other person in a dorm, or three other people in an apartment, establishing a common ground is an easy way to express your expectations and meet your roommate(s) somewhere in the middle.

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “But my roommate and I get along great!” That’s fantastic! Embrace the fact that you two can get along so well.

My takeaway lesson from three years now of what I call “crazy roommates” is this: everyone is different. Once you can understand and respect that, you’ll have a much easier time living with someone who isn’t necessarily your best friend. It’s also a lot like the real world- not everyone is like you, but you have to accept how they are. You may have to work with someone that you could care less about, but you need to be able to be civil and mature about it.

Have any good roommate tips you’d like to share? Let us know below!