College Dorm Floor Neighbors

Getting Along with the Students in Your Dormitory

May 5, 2008 Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Does living on a floor full of strangers sound a little stressful? Here's how to get along with your floormates.

Living in a college dorm can be a great deal of fun, and some of the best friends you'll ever meet might be living down the hall from you. Unfortunately, it's always stressful to live in close proximity to a large number of people--especially strangers--and you're bound to run into conflict with some of the people in your hallway or on your floor. Here are some strategies for getting along with your neighbors.

Be Friendly to Everyone

No, you don't have to like everyone, and you don't have to be everyone's friend. However, you're going to run into the people on your floor quite a bit, so things can get quite stressful if there's tension between you and a neighbor. So always say hi and make some minimal chit chat, and keep your true opinions about your neighbor's body odor or boyfriend or whatever to yourself.

Stand Up for Yourself

Do not put up with excessive loudness or other inappropriate behavior from your floormates--including sexual harassment. Confrontation can be very uncomfortable, but if you don't do it, the inappropriate behaviors will continue. Always start confrontations out nicely, such as, "Guys, I have an important 8:00 a.m. class on Friday morning. Could you please keep the noise down in your room after midnight or so?" That may just do the trick. If it doesn't, though, be more insistent. Avoid getting the resident assistant involved if you can, but if your floormates are being completely unreasonable, get help from the RA.

Be a Good Neighbor

Don't you be the reason your neighbors are complaining to the RA. Be respectful to your neighbors, and if they make a reasonable request that you be quieter or that you quit leaving the bathroom so messy, apologize and do as they ask.

Avoid Gossip

When you're living in close proximity to people, you tend to have access to juicy bits of information about overnight visitors, drunkenness, and other stuff. Sharing this kind of information with other people in the dorm and school will come back to haunt you. No one likes a gossip, especially not the neighbor who finds out that you've been publicizing a running tab of her exploits.

Avoid Drama

Dorm living is notorious for the drama factor. Friendship groups form and people date, and someone's always mad at somebody else for something. School is stressful enough, so stay away from the drama. Chances are, you'll forget all about whatever it was that you were mad about soon enough.

Help Your Floormates Out

Little things go a long way in helping to make a community, so help out if your neighbor needs something, If your neighbor's printer ink runs out five minutes before his paper is due, offer him the use of your printer. If you're going to the drug store and your neighbor's sick, offer to pick up some cold medicine. Obviously, you don't want people walking all over you, but people will really appreciate neighborly gestures.

Living in a hallway with lots of other people requires just a little more tack than the rest of real life. Be nice and considerate, and the experience will be a memorable on and not a disaster.

The copyright of the article College Dorm Floor Neighbors in Campus Life is owned by Naomi Rockler-Gladen. Permission to republish College Dorm Floor Neighbors in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.