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The Unspoken Rules of the Dorm Etiquette

Cecilie Nag

Living in dorms is not like living at home. Maybe you are used to walking around your house barely dressed and spending an hour in the shower twice a day. Perhaps you like listening to your music really loud or falling asleep with your TV on. But now you live in a shared little rooms in a hall full of others. What are the rules now?

After talking to several dormers around campus, they all mentioned the most important rule: Always remember to be respectful. Clean up after yourself both in your own room and the bathroom. The walls are not sound proof, so don’t play your music too loud at all hours of the day and night; people might have early classes or studying to do. Don’t have your TV on if you’re roommate is planning on sleeping. It also isn’t a good idea to bring people into the room without notifying the person you are sharing it with.

“A perfect roommate respects when you have homework, when you have class early, respects your things, and lets you know if she’s having a boy- or girlfriend over,” said Sophomore Public Relations major, Malin Woll Skotnes. “Personally I live with one of my best friends, and I love it,” she adds, explaining how they can communicate and discuss problems without fighting.

It’s important to communicate with your roommate. Make your rules together. Find a way to compromise if you disagree with each other and figure out a solution where you’re both comfortable. Figure out how you should handle situations, before they actually happen. If you are having trouble with people next door, try talking with them before you give your complaint to the RA. Maybe you can figure out an agreement that works for everyone.

“The most annoying thing that a roommate could do is to keep you up at night or interrupt your sleep if you have an early class in the morning,” said junior Music Education major, Steve DeBellis. His description of the perfect roommate is “a close friend that shares a similar schedule, and who you enjoy hanging out with.”

Sophomore Digital Arts and Design major, Ivanna Fortunato, also hates when people are loud when she’s trying to sleep. She thinks dorm etiquette should revolve around being respectful, which she explains as not being loud at odd hours of the night and to be clean in the bathroom and the halls.

Sophomore Nutrition major Aurora Kronberg said that all the unwritten rules you live by at home with your family should also apply living in a Residence Hall. That shouldn’t be so hard, right? Follow these couple of guidelines and encourage your fellow dorm mates to do the same.

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