Living with Flatmates: How to Get Along with Them

Coming to university is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. You get to meet people from all across the country as well as people from entirely new countries and cultures too. One of the first places you’ll meet these new people is when you move into your new student accommodation.

But living with flatmates you’ve never met before can pose some challenges. You may have entirely different interests and levels of cleanliness that could end up clashing. The last thing you want is to not get along well with your flatmates, so here are our top 5 tips for harmonious living with your new flatmates.

1. Be Considerate About the Noise

Student life is notoriously busy and noisy. Many students love going on nights out and having drinks back at the flat at the end of the night. It’s all great when you’re the one on that night out, but it can be a nightmare if you’re trying to get to sleep for an early morning of lectures.

Even throughout the day, try to be respectful and keep the noise levels down to a minimum. Don’t play music too loudly or have loud phone conversations late into the night when others are trying to sleep. When you come back at the end of the night, try to be quiet and don’t disturb anyone else. If everyone can stick to these courtesies, there’s less of a chance of resentment growing.

2. Set a Rota

There’s nothing worse than coming into the kitchen in shared accommodation and seeing the place look like a bomb has hit. Dirty dishes everywhere, an overflowing rubbish bin, and mess taking over just aren’t considerate. Everyone should be pitching in to keep the house clean and tidy.

One great way to do this is to have a house meeting early on and create a cleaning rota. Each flatmate should get a designated task each day(s) of the week and stick to it. When everyone does their bit, the workload isn’t burdened on one person and everyone gets to live in a clean house.

3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

The best way to live with other humans in harmony is good, healthy communication. It can be easy to leave out a passive aggressive note when someone drinks the last of the milk or doesn’t chip in for toilet paper, but it’s not productive.

Instead, communicate your frustrations with your flatmates in a way that doesn’t offend or hurt anyone. Keep in mind how your flatmate may react to something they did that may be totally accidental. Plus, when you all communicate your concerns or needs early on, it makes it much easier to live with one another.

4. Don’t Have Too Many People Over

Uni is an exciting time when you meet lots of new people, and of course, you’re going to end up inviting some of them back to your flat. But when you have people over there all the time, it can become stressful for your other flatmates.

Sometimes, your flatmates won’t want to come home to a loud gathering or have to share the loo roll or milk with another guest all the time. Try to be mindful of the number of people who come round and be considerate of your flatmates.

5. Do Nice Things Occasionally

A great way to bond with your flatmates and get to know them a bit better is to do nice things for them. It doesn’t need to be all the time, just every now and then will show your flatmates that you want to get to know them and be their friend.

There are loads of ways to do this. You could cook them all dinner one night or even bake a cake for them. You could even just invite them for drinks or to an event you want to check out. These are little gestures that mean a lot and they can strengthen your bond as flatmates.

You'll Be Getting Along with Your Flatmates in No Time

When you follow these 5 easy steps, you’ll be able to get along with your flatmates and make firm friends in no time!

Still looking for student accommodation this year? Get in touch with us to see how we can help you find the right place.

Coming to university is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. You get to meet people from all across the country as well as people from entirely new countries and cultures too. One of the first places you’ll meet these new people is when you move into your new student accommodation.

1. Be Considerate About the Noise

2. Set a Rota

3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

4. Don’t Have Too Many People Over

5. Do Nice Things Occasionally

You'll Be Getting Along with Your Flatmates in No Time

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