Five ways to keep the peace with your housemates during exam season

Alas, the dreaded exam season is again upon us. For some of you, it’ll be your last, for others your first; if you are unfortunate enough to fall within the latter, buckle up. Shit is about to hit the fan. Ozzie, the campus wellbeing cat, is working overtime, doing the rounds across campus buildings to cheer you miserable lot up. But sometimes, no amount of kitty cuddles can cure the January blues, and getting on your housemates’ tits is not how we recommend you get through the rest of the month. So, here are five ways to keep the peace with your housemates this exam season:

1. Space

Get out of each others faces. At no other time in your life will it be normal to cram six adults into one crummy house with one working shower and a radiator that pisses out more water than your mate who broke the seal at pres. You’re all going to be very stressed, so maybe resist from knocking on your housemates door at 11pm with a funny TikTok you think they’ll like. Group library trips are fine, as long as you don’t insist on sitting so close to your housemate that you’re basically on their lap or furiously whisper across the desk when your BeReal goes off in the silent study.

2. Go for pints

Right, I don’t mean get rat-arsed here. But if you’re spending a lot of time in the house or cooped up in the library then the odds are that you’re mostly going to see your housemates in passing or doing the same. Keep on good terms and up to date with each other’s progress in a nice environment or over a drink. Although, I can turn a blind eye to anyone in Cosy Joe’s at 11pm letting off a bit of steam to Old Town Road. We all have our own skeletons.

3. Stop being lazy and do your chores

If there’s ever a time to not leave a buttered knife in the sink, its during exams. Someone will fly off the handle and you know what? I think that’s totally acceptable. The last thing you’d want to do when up to your stress rashed neck with anxiety is to pick up after other people’s mess. You were raised better.

4. Let the little things go

Alright, slight contradiction after the buttered knife comment but pick your battles. Someone is undoubtedly going to leave their washing in the machine or beat you to the shower right before you said you were get in. But is it worth the stress? The aggravation? The irrational name calling? Probably, but it’s only January and I’d be embarrassed to lose my shit so severely just 16 days in. Your housemate didn’t wash up your cup? So what. Are you absolutely, confidently sure you washed your pubes out the bath last week? Probably not worth the risk of bringing it up either way.

5. Be kind!

Be nice to people – including to yourself! Stress is not worth the detriment of your mental health. Don’t compare your progress to others; it’s not productive, nor will it help you get things done any quicker. That being said, scrolling through new episodes of Sylvanian Drama 45 minutes after you said “just one more” is not self care. Go to bed.

But not before I treat you with the latest episode. Enjoy, besties.

@sylvaniandrama

♬ Daddy Cool – Boney M.

If you’re struggling with stress or exams, relevant support is available and can always be found online at NUSU or NSU.

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