Moving in with a new person can be quite stressful and awkward at first. Especially if it is you haven’t lived in a student dorm before. However, it doesn’t have to stay this way for long. It is a great opportunity to establish some healthy relationships and even make good friends.
College life is challenging on its own. There is a new academic curriculum to adjust to with lots of new requirements. Freshmen students often have difficulties adapting to the amount of work and written assignments. And some lack confidence in their skills, particularly when it comes to writing. Do not stress too much about it, as there are always platforms like WritePaper out there ready to help. It is a professional academic writing service ready to assist with any college paper.
Expert writers provide excellent advice and also help with writing, editing, and proofreading assignments. If only making friends was as easy as that! But there are definitely several things one can do to befriend their new roommates. Here are the best tips on that…
Interact From Day One
Be approachable right away. Unpacking is tough, but you can take a couple of minutes to say hi, make small talk, and bond over this moving experience. Do not isolate yourself in the first days, even if it is tempting. It is a perfect time to meet everyone naturally.
Start conversations; ask a roommate about some basic things, like where they are from, how they chose this college, or do they have siblings. This will make a good first impression and show people that you are open to communication. The awkwardness will go away pretty fast, so do not worry about it.
Explore the Campus
Chances are, your roommate is as nervous as you. It is probably their first time, and they do not have much experience in college as well. A good idea to spend some quality time together is to explore the campus. Ask them to go for this adventure and so things like:
- Attend onboarding events;
- Find good places to eat;
- Learn the best route to the class;
- Find entertainment places around the campus;
- Look for bookstores or game stores;
- Search for cool places to hang out.
All of this helps to have a conversation and ensures some mutual memories. Also, you’ll have something to talk about after, like people you’ve met at onboarding events. Another benefit is that you’ll get more accustomed to the campus.
Eat Together
Sharing a meal with someone is an excellent way to get to know each other. It is a simple thing, and any awkward pauses can be filled with eating.
This is also a good opportunity to establish a tradition between you two – you can go eat out once a week and explore new places. Or go to the same café you both enjoy. Talk about your favourite foods, what you enjoy, and what you for not like.
If you do not have a lot of money to eat out, you can share a meal at home. One might even ask a roommate to cook it together, which is also a bonding thing.
Find Shared Interests
Common interests and experiences are what make people like each other. Share your interest with roommates and ask them about theirs. The chances are, you’ve got at least something in common. It can be anything like:
- Movies or TV shows;
- Music;
- Traveling;
- Books;
- Family life;
- Fashion;
- Favorite YouTubers;
- Social media;
- College interests;
- Career aspirations;
- Parties;
- Décor, etc.
This will provide you two with topics for conversations. And you can enjoy something together, for instance, exchange books or send each other funny TikToks. Laughing together helps people to become friends and like each other more.
Decorate the Space
Even if you have completely different styles, you can still decorate your room together. You can help each other to unpack and make compromises on how things will be placed. Be open to share but also do not overstep your own boundaries.
If you have a shared interest, it is a great win. For example, you both like the same actor or musician, so you can decorate the room with a poster of them together.
Game or Movie Night
Another easy way to bond is to do something fun together. The simplest way is to host a game or movie night. For games, you can invite several people over to your room. All of you can play video or board games. This will help to get to know each other more, interact, and have a laugh. Just do not get too invested in Monopoly; it rarely ends well.
If you do not like games or do not have good ones with you, a movie night is also a perfect opportunity. Choose the movie you’ve both haven’t watched. Or each of you can choose one film you’d like to share with another.
Choose favourite snacks and exchange them. It is going to be fun, and if you are worried about conversations, there is no pressure to talk much during a movie.
Invite Them to Events
Anytime you get an invitation for a campus event, ask your roommate to go with you. This can be a hangout or a freshmen event; it doesn’t matter. First of all, you won’t feel alone as you are going with someone you already know.
Secondly, you show that you enjoy their company and like to spend time together. Also, accept invitations from them. Meet their friends and strike up a small conversation with them.
Be Open About Your Feelings
You are both in it together. It means that you probably have similar fears and excitements about college. Whether you worry about academic success, personal fashion style, or future career – talk about it with a roommate.
Being open and somewhat vulnerable invites the same approach from their side. It can also be helpful to overcome some of those fears together and support each other. Maybe you can take a class together or go thrifting for fashionable items.
This is a bonding experience that also allows for establishing healthy relationships. Honesty goes a long way.
Be Accepting
You might come from completely different backgrounds and places. Each of you has a routine and habits that might seem weird to another one. Be accepting of your roommate and open to learning. Try to work on your routines together, so each one of you is comfortable.
Do not make insensitive comments about religious or cultural lifestyles. If you are curious to learn about it, just ask politely to explain.
Also, be generous when sharing but also establish boundaries by asking permission. For example, you can share some food. But do not take something off your roommate without asking about it before.
In Summary
Making friends with dorm roommates is not as intimidating as one might think it is. Most likely, you are both anxious about it. Be open-minded, accepting, and approachable. Start a conversation, share interests, and do something fun together. Go for a night out, visit a café, or take a class together if it is possible. You can also explore the campus or start watching a new Netflix show together.
