There is no "Dish Washer" Fairy!

Ok, I am guilty, I LOVE making list. I create a to-do list on a daily basis. When I am traveling somewhere, I jot down a list of everything I need to pack for the trip. I make shopping list for the mall, Tiger Town, and the grocery store. I even have an ever-changing list of items I need for my new "big girl" apartment. You have probably noticed a running theme with my blogs- the majority of them consist of a list. Today, I realized that some people need guidance in learning how to make the transition from living at home to living on their own in college. We will call today's list "Your Guide to being a Stress-free, Lovable Roommate."

1. Get to know your roommates. When I first moved to Auburn, I lived with two girls that I did not know, and one of them became my best friend. The first step to ensuring a positive living environment is to become well acquainted with those with who you are sharing the space. Plus, if you get to know your roommates, you might learn that they are super creepers or just simply creepers.

2. Be sociable; after all, this is key in getting to know your roommates. Do not stay holed up in your room all the time, especially if you do not know your roommates- it could make them think you are a little strange. Come out of your room, hang out in the den, go out to dinner, and become friends!

3. Always lock the door. If you are in college, this should be commonsense; however, some people never cease to amaze me. Your hear horror stories on the news daily, and this should be a reminder to try to be as safe as possible.

4. Do not invade your roommate's privacy. OK, so I might have been guilty of this a couple of times, but overall, you probably should try to avoid it. This makes you look like a creeper.

5. Never use your roommates shower or bathroom without their permission. I have a phobia of dark hair. If my dark-headed roommates used my shower without me knowing about it, it could trigger a meltdown if I came home to find dark hair in my bathroom.

6. Do not eat your roommates' food (unless they have said they do not care). Food does not come cheap, so you should know your boundaries in this area.

7. On that note, you should not have to label everything that is yours in the kitchen, particularly if no one else does. If you label everything, it makes you look like you do not trust your roommates, not a good way to begin a living relationship.

8. Try to leave as little as possible just "laying around." So, I am more than a little guilty of breaking this rule. The problem lies in the fact that I have SO much stuff. I need to apologize to all of my former and current roommates for continually failing to follow this rule.

9. Speaking of laying around- I can tolerate stuff laying around, but nasty, I can not handle. If you make a mess in the kitchen, please clean it up- this includes, but is not limited to, the counter, microwave, and floor.

10. Wash all dishes in a timely manner. It is pure disgusting to leave dirty dishes piled up in the sink. If you use the dishes, wash the dishes. Regardless of some people's beliefs, there is no dish washer fairy. If you put dishes in the sink, they only get washed when you or someone else washes them. You should especially be timely in washing dishes when they are not your own.

11. Trash tends to accumulate quickly; therefore, the trash should be taken out frequently. If you see a bag of trash that needs to be taken to the dumpster, grab it on your way out the door. It takes one minute at most and helps to keep the apartment clean.

12. Be sure to always turn off the lights or fan when you leave a room. You do not want to waste electricity and run up the power bill.

13. Do not dominate the washer and dryer. It is understandable that you might have a couple of loads of laundry a week, but four or five loads a week, that is a little ridiculous. If you do have several, do not do them all at once. Allow your roommates some in between time to get their laundry done as well.

14. When doing your laundry, do not leave your laundry in the washer and dryer. This is another rule I am guilty of breaking, so once again I apologize. It is just annoying to have your mind set on doing your laundry, only to find someone else's laundry is still in there.

15. If you are going to have company for an extended amount of time, inform your roommates. I have never cared that my roommates had company, I just liked a heads up so I could tidy up a little.

16. If your significant other decides to stay there all the time- wait, stop there, that's just not ok. If that person is not paying rent, then they should not be there all the time. It is understandable for them to be present a good bit of the time, but once they start staying there when you are not there, it crosses the line and becomes a little freakish.

17. Try to stay appropriately clothed when your roommates have company. I might be a little guilty of breaking this rule on one occasion... opps! I love wearing my towel wrap around the apartment. To me, that is appropriately clothed. It covers more than my swimsuit would. Also, if you decide to undress, do not leave undergarments lying in the public area. That is just strange.

18. Be careful in making lists around the apartment- some people are a bit testy about this, even if no harm is meant by it.

19. If problems do arise between roommates, sit down and discuss them like adults. After all, you are in college now, so act like it!

20. Overall, be considerate of each other. If you respect your roommates and are considerate of each other, then everything else should fall into place.

I know everyone that has had the pleasure of living with a roommate would like to add a few more to this list, please feel free. If you understand these twenty rules though, you should be well on your way to making a respectful, lovable roommate!