<\/a>Jarrod Dorsey
\n<\/strong>Staff Writer<\/em><\/p>\n

College is a place where the transition from a teenager into a young adult begins.\u00a0 It is also a place where lifelong friends can be made but if you are not careful, lifelong enemies can also be made.<\/p>\n

To coexist with anyone, boundaries must be set, especially when it comes to personal property. Developing a healthy understanding with your roommate is the initial step to establishing an agreement on what will and will not be tolerated. The agreement allows the dorm mates to inform each other on the things that would cause discomfort while coexisting in each other\u2019s space.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen living in McAllister, I found it difficult to coexist with my roommate because she felt as if it was okay for her to just wear my clothes without asking me first,\u201d said Shanequa Wilkerson, a sophomore psychology major from Flora, Miss.<\/p>\n

Lyndon Hart, however, has had a better experience with his roommate, stating that boundaries were set from the beginning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI personally don\u2019t have a problem with my suitemates because we all know that we are not allowed to touch each other things without asking each other first,\u201d said Hart, a sophomore biology major from Stone Mountain, Ga.<\/p>\n

Young adult author Traci Bold gives these simple rules to follow that establish boundaries and promote good coexistence between roommates:<\/p>\n

\u2022Establish what belongings of each person are off limits to roommates<\/p>\n

\u2022Establish if boyfriends\/girlfriends\/friends\/family are allowed to spend the night<\/p>\n

\u2022Label all own groceries with your initials so roommates know those groceries are yours only. Do not eat or drink roommate\u2019s food or drinks.<\/p>\n

\u2022Clean up after yourself in shared spaces. You made food, dirtied dishes, then wash them, dry them and put them away and wipe down counters<\/p>\n

\u2022Pick up after yourself<\/p>\n

\u2022Designate one day of the week where you both or all get together and do shared cleaning<\/p>\n

\u2022Respect each other\u2019s privacy and establish guidelines for quiet hours<\/p>\n

\u2022Tell your roommate where you are going and when to expect you back or leave a note. This is just courteous and also safe<\/p>\n

\u2022Make sure you exchange phone numbers and emergency with your roommate<\/p>\n

The final keys to a healthy and pleasant roommate experience are to be honest and respectful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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