Tips for Students Living in a Shared Apartment
Living in a student-shared flat is an overwhelming experience that brings its share amount of highs and lows. It allows you to make new friends, become financially responsible, and cook for yourself, but it also requires communication, organization, and respect for each other's space and habits.
Being roommates is a two-way process in which both parties need to compromise and make decisions that align with each other's interests.
For young adults who recently moved out for higher education, this blog is perfect. We have crafted a few essential tips for students living in shared spaces.
6 Tips for Living in a Shared Apartment
Following are the 6 curated tips when living with a roommate in a shared student apartment:
1. Set Ground Rules Early
Before you move in, you must sit down with your future roommate and discuss some basic ground rules. Talk about what you both expect in terms of keeping the place clean, how loud you can be, having friends over, and splitting up household tasks. Once you've agreed on the basics and started moving in, it's a good idea to set up a chore schedule.
Be mindful of cleanliness and respect each other's spaces, especially if it's a small apartment. Major big cities like New York and Boston have packed spaces, so shared student accommodations in Boston and New York will be no different. Ask every time you play music or have a guest home. This will build a better relationship with your roommate.
2. Communicate Openly and Respectfully
Communication is the key to every successful and respectful roommate relationship. To ensure smooth and open communication regarding household matters, you can set up a group chat to avoid any misunderstandings and keep everyone informed at the same time. And in case any problem arises, try to be calm and address it promptly.
3. Manage Finances Transparently
Sharing a place means splitting costs for the basics - food, electricity, student accommodation rent, you name it. Since you're on a student budget, it's crucial to be open about money with your roommates. Try using apps like Splitwise to keep track of shared expenses - it's a real game-changer.
Ensure you have enough money to pay for your utilities so you don't end up mooching off your roommate–that's not cool. As a student, you can shop from brands and E-commerce platforms that offer student discounts on food, clothes, and other things, so you never go broke.
4. Share Responsibilities
In situations where you're renting an apartment and also in cases where it is shared the house must be on a regular maintenance check. Everyone should pitch in to keep the place clean. If something breaks, whoever's responsible should fix it.
Splitting up these tasks makes it way easier to keep your apartment rental in good shape. It's all about teamwork - when everyone does their part, the place stays nice without anyone feeling overwhelmed.
5. Respect Privacy and Boundaries
When you're sharing a place, privacy is key. It's pretty simple, treat your roommate how you want to be treated. If you respect their space, they'll likely do the same for you, and everyone stays happy.
When it comes to having people over, it's a good idea to set some ground rules. Maybe agree on when guests are cool to come by and which areas are off-limits.
During exam time, things get serious. You need the same focus you had for your SATs, so boundaries become super important. You'll need time, quiet, and a chill environment to ace those tests. Just make sure everyone's on the same page about keeping things conducive to studying when it matters most.
6. Build a Positive Relationship
Getting along with your roommate makes everything else so much easier. Don't just stick to chores and bills - hang out together! Maybe plan a movie night, grab a coffee, or just chill outside of your usual apartment stuff.
These people are basically your second family while you're at college, so why not make it fun?
Celebrate each other's birthdays, holidays, or whatever else comes up. It'll make your whole living situation way more enjoyable and turn your roommates into actual friends.
Conclusion
Sharing an apartment can be great if everyone's on the same page. Set clear rules, talk openly, and split the work.
If you're flexible, and understanding, and work together, you'll create a fun, drama-free living space. It's all about teamwork and respect.
How can amber help you?
amber helps you secure student accommodation of your choice on your study abroad journey. Having served 80 million students (and counting), amber is your one-stop shop for all your accommodation needs. Download the amber app from the Google Play Store or App Store to book an affordable home for your adventure.
Author's Bio - Bobby Sinha is a storyteller; she enjoys watching Japanese indie movies and knows various ways of using a chopstick. A graduate in business, working as a writer, and someday aspiring to become a Filmmaker proves how versatile she is.