How to avoid becoming the nightmare flatmate in your first year accom

With the buzz of Freshers’ Week winding down, living with new people can be daunting. Whether you become besties with your roommates or remain mainly cordial, here are some dos and don’ts to make sure you don’t gain a bad rep.

Do: Keep your fridge shelf clean.  

Uni fridges are often small and cramped and the last thing you want is someone’s gone off milk taking up space, or splattered sauce on the shelves. Clean up messes and old food and your flatmates will thank you.

Don’t: Leave the shared bathroom a mess.  

Sharing a bathroom with new people means new responsibilities. Don’t leave water everywhere after a shower, keep the toilet clean (and put the seat down), and clean your hair off the walls (and maybe even consider getting a hair catcher for the drain).

Do: Replace the toilet roll when it’s empty.  

No one wants to get caught out. Stock up in the bathroom, and pick it up from the shops if you notice it getting low.  

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Don’t: Take long FaceTime calls in communal areas without headphones.  

It’s fine to use communal areas, but remember they are shared spaces. Taking loud FaceTime calls in these areas can not only be annoying but may also make your other flatmates feel unable to use the areas.  

Don’t: Let bins pile up and overflow.  

It seems simple, but there is nothing worse than an overflowing, smelly bin or a mountain of recycling. When the bins are full, just take them out.  

Do: Communicate with your flatmates.  

If something’s bothering you, send your flatmates a quick message or ask them politely when you next see them. Adapting to each other’s living styles takes time, and they may not even realise they’re doing something wrong. It’s better to be honest than to be passive aggressive.  

Living with flatmates is not one-size-fits-all. It takes time to adjust, but treat each other with respect and you will figure out what works for you. 

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