Living in propinquity with another person can be difficult. As much as I love my former roommate (and I do), there were times that we had to compromise our old habits to accommodate each other. What you have to realize when you enter a new living situation is that everyone has different lifestyles. Living together isn’t about combining everyone’s lifestyles, it’s about creating new ones that suit all of you. To help you all live in peace and harmony, here’s a few tips:
· Talk. Really. Talk about your homes, your families, your friends. It will give you all a better understanding of how each person is used to living.
· Collaborate. Make your room/suite/apartment be an expression of each of you. Allow everyone to contribute to the decoration of your space.· Set some ground rules. If you are having trouble compromising on a daily basis, write up a contract. · Make a chore wheel. I know of very few people who enjoy cleaning. And when you live in a small space, the littlest mess can seem a lot bigger. Make a chore wheel with all of your names and all of the chores that need to get done. Spin it every week so everyone trades off.· Get lost together. No joke. You’ll learn a lot about your roommates and your new surroundings by wandering the campus/city together. Find cool places that you like to hang out at. Make it a mission to go out some place new each week, or go out for lunch every Sunday. It will create traditions within your new family.· Give it time. Don’t expect to hit it off immediately with your roommates. If you do, that’s great! But if you don’t, give it a while. You’ll grow on each other.
As you begin to apply for college it can seem awkward that you are talking so much about your achievements and all the other great characteristics you have. I know that when I started apply I could only stand to write so much at a time because I felt so conceited.
However, don’t shy away from making yourself sound like a viable candidate for admission just because you feel like you are boasting too much. College applications are the one time in your life when you can lay it all on the line and present everything about you that there is to share. In most cases there is no interview, therefore what you put on paper is all that the admissions officers can base their decision on. Even if you live the rest of your life humbly, make your shine on all your college applications. Be proud of who you are and make them want you. Good luck to all of you who are applying to college.
I’m so sorry for being MIA for the past month or so. It’s ridiculous! I moved back to Boston three weeks before school started to go through RA training which kept me busy for literally every waking moment, and then school started last Monday, so I’ve been swamped!
Anyway, I hope you all are well and have successfully started another school year. To kick things off, I’ve just got a few random tips to help make this year great!
· Organize – If you don’t already, keep a daily planner with all of your assignments and appointments. Also keep a weekly schedule that visually blocks out periods of time that you regularly have scheduled, like classes and weekly meetings. Keep it up on a wall or bulletin board; some place where you can easily see it. Also keep a monthly schedule. This will give you a big picture look at things so you know what obligations you have coming up. That way you won’t all of a sudden realize you have way too many things to do in one week.· Get involved – Trust me on this: life is better when you’re leading a full one. Find organizations that pique your interests. It will keep you active and give you a chance to meet new people.· Nip it in the bud – whether it’s homework, relationships, or the dishing, get it taken care of before it all piles up.· Sit up front – If you find yourself missing things in class, not following, or just falling asleep, sit in the front row. You have a better chance of hearing and seeing everything.· Keep in touch – It’s easy to get caught up in your own busy schedule, but remember to keep in touch with your friends on and off-campus. Even the littlest of things will help to keep you close. Text someone you haven’t seen in a while and ask if they’d like to join you for lunch, or watch your favorite TV show (i.e. Gossip Girl Mondays in Sara’s room!)· Ask questions – If you don’t understand that passage in The Iliad, ask your instructor. If you wonder if that toaster is allowed in your dorm room, ask your RA (it probably isn’t), and if you want to know how you’re friend’s relationship is going, ask him/her about it. It’s always good to stay informed!
I hope this year goes great for everyone!
As always, words of wisdom:
“The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.” – Ben Stein
