Five Tips and Tricks for Living with Others

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we’re only putting students in self-catered UCL halls or a select number of catered UoL halls. (Be sure to check out our Coronavirus advice and support page for the most up to date advice on how to manage your first year during this time.)

Living with other people can be a fantastic, life-enhancing experience, but it can also present some new challenges. 

We’ve pulled together five tips and tricks to help you figure out how to get along better with your new mates.

1. Figure out each other’s routines

Talking through who does what and when doesn’t take too much time. Unless, of course, you decide to start an organised spreadsheet (or build an app?) to track each other’s daily errands.

In any case, getting everyone’s schedule in sync is a great way to avoid potential conflicts. That means no more queuing by the kitchen sink; and no unexpected parties when you’re working late on an essay.

2. Respect each other’s personal space

We all need personal space. Some of us need more than others. Just keep in mind that different people prefer different things.

So, the best approach is to always read the room carefully (pun intended).

If your flatmate’s door is closed, make sure to knock. If they’re cooped up in their room for days, they probably have a lot of work to do, so give them the space they need. (Although it’s important to check in with your flatmate’s if you’ve haven’t seen them for a few days and check if they’re doing okay.)

3. Get to know each other

Getting to know each other over a friendly chat is important. Socially distanced movie nights or ordering take-out together are some of the best options to spend time together safely.

Through these activities, you’ll learn to appreciate each other’s quirks. And, having established a friendly tone, it’ll also be easier to resolve any issues in the future.

4. You are not alone

You’re in a new environment. There’s a lot of coursework. Plus, there’s real uncertainty about the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak. It’s understandable if your mental bandwidth starts to feel a bit jammed.

Still, it’s important to remember that you don’t live alone. Everything you do affects those around you. 

But believe it or not, even small efforts to be respectful are highly noticeable and appreciated. What’s more, a good relationship with your new flatmates can develop into a mutual support network. It’s great to know that you can count on each other.

5. Share some of the workload

Piles of dirty dishes are not exactly a pleasing sight. We all have different tastes, values and backgrounds, so the expected level of cleanliness can be vastly different… and a point of friction. Be sure to clean up after yourself when you use communal spaces – don’t be the one that hinders someone’s mealtime routine by leaving a mess from cooking all over the kitchen!

Our general advice (especially considering the Coronavirus outbreak) is that the cleaner you keep your surroundings, the better it is for everyone.

It’s best to create a cleaning schedule, so everyone can pull their weight equally. Work out what needs to be done and then divide it up evenly and fairly. Buy the cleaning products you’ll need and split the costs between you equally – we recommend recognised and proven brands over cheaper supermarket value options.

There you have it, the five most important tricks to make living with others a cinch.

Sometimes, though, even your best efforts will land you with a tricky flatmate. For those times, we recommend getting in touch with your SRAs or speaking to your hall team.