Living in a group
Perhaps you have lived together with other students before, or perhaps this is going to be your first time. Either way, we have compiled some tips to help you turn living with others into a great experience:
- Show an interest in your roommates and get to know them. They may become your friends for life if you invest time and energy in them and in the house;
- Most of the student houses will come with certain practical agreements between roommates: for example, whether and how often you will cook and eat dinner together, how and when you can opt out of dinner, the cleaning of common rooms, purchasing of shared goods and groceries, and which social activities the residents will engaged in together. Social activities may include special evenings devoted to the house, organising collective parties, or going out together. Ask about existing arrangements and keep promises that you make on this topic;
- If you run into something you do not understand or cannot comply with, talk about it! Ask what it means and ask for possibilities to work around them. If your roommates do not know what is on your mind, they cannot take your wishes into account;
- The cost of expensive purchases and unexpected bills to the house will often be split. Take this into account. In some houses, meetings will be called to discuss these things;
- In many houses, the living room is considered the social area. If you are interested in socialising, this is the perfect place to hang out. If you want to study quietly, your room or the university library may be a better place.
- Organise fun activities for all the current residents. This can be anything: for instance, a Christmas dinner, a New Year’s party, an annual party, a weekend’s outing or a weekly movie night