WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
APARTMENT GUIDE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 9C
But making up is not hard to do. Simple things like open communication and a roommate contracts can help ease the tension and bring peace and order back into the home.
Peace at home, just sign and initial
Contracts can prevent major roommate conflicts
BY ASHLEY PATE
207058@GAMAN.COM
KARAN COMPUTERQUEST
thousands of KU students have already begun thinking about where they are going to live next year and
with whom. These are difficult, but important questions to ponder because the decisions will effect at least nine months of the next academic year. Some things to consider if your plan is to live with others.
Pick people with whom you are able to communicate.
"Don't be afraid to talk to your roommate," said Tori Kim, Leawood sophomore. "Communication is most important."
There should be one priority when you move into your new place.
"Make a roommate contract," said Annie Harrigan, Prairie Village sophomore. Harrigan, a resident advisor in Jayhawker Towers, said that the contract could help figure out comfort levels between roommates.
If you are able to communicate your feelings to others, then making a roommate contract should be easy. Some topics that should be thoroughly discussed include quiet hours, members of the opposite sex, substance use, and using one another's belongings.
Kim said she wished that there
would have been a more effective roommate contract for her and a former roommate of hers. Besides dealing with a roommate who ate her food and drank her alcohol, Kim also dealt with unwelcome guests.
"She brought creepy guys home who would pretend to be asleep and look at me when I was changing in the morning," Kim said. "Another time she let some guy sleep in my bed when I went home and there was some weird white stain on my pillow case and dirt in my bed."
Another issue that should be a concern is respect for other people's property. If this issue is addressed in the roommate contract, then future incidents can be prevented.
"We agreed at the beginning of the year that she could use
condiments and take drinks from my fridge and anything else she had to ask," Kim said. "But she would always take my food without asking."
"When he got back he fell down the stairs and banged himself up pretty bad," said Landis.
"Our RA was never there to talk to about anything," Kim said.
Kim said that the dorm contract that she used with her roommate was ineffective because no one was there to enforce it.
Problems can be avoided by
Landis said the roommate fell asleep on the couch and Landis went to his room to go to bed.
agreeing on how the contract will be enforced and by whom
Designate community and individual spaces and make the boundaries clear. Kim and her
Aaron Landis, Oskaloosa junior, said he had a roommate who came home drunk, telling stories that Landis said obviously didn't happen.
roommate had problems with possessions migrating across their dorm room, especially when Kim went home for the weekend.
Once boundaries are set and agreed upon, you should bring up any personal habits that you might have, including drinking. Although alcohol-induced escapees are often the source of funny stories.
"Besides being a slob, she left her crusty, mesh, neon green underwear on my desk chair and when she moved out at semester, I found socks in my closet." Kim said.
cleaning up the mess — especially if it's not your mess — is not funny.
If you are able to communicate your feelings to others, then making a roommate contract should be easy. Some topics that should be thoroughly discussed include quiet hours, members of the opposite sex, substance use, and using one another's belongings.
"I woke up to the sound of him walking around. I stuck my head
out of the door and saw him peeing in front of my room. As soon as he was done, he tucked it back in, spit where he peed and went back to sleep on the couch," said
The more you know about your future roommates and their habits, the better you will be able to address problems that may arise. Talk to your roommates and make a thorough roommate contract and stick to it.
Ashley Pate is a Tucson, Ariz., junior in journalism
Instead of cleaning up the mess, the roommate covered it with newspaper and sprayed it with Febreeze. To avoid a similar situation, bring up the topic of drinking with your roommates.
Landis.
ing' and I told her to go to bed because it's 3 a.m." Edgar said.
Other personal habits should be addressed as well, including health problems or other issues. Laura Edgar, Leawood sophomore, said she had a roommate who sleepwalked sometimes.
"She got out of bed and said, 'I have to get my purse they're com-
Tuckaway 2600 W 6th 785-838-3377
Tuckaway Management
Hawker 10th & Missouri 785-838-3377
Harper Square 2201 Harper Square 785-838-3377
Tuckaway @ Briarwood
4241 Briarwood Dr.
785-838-3377
Hutton Farms
New 2005
3401 Hutton Dr.
Corner of Kasold & Peterson
785-841-3339
Tuckaway Management has a home for every need. Studio, 1bdrm with/wwithout garage, up to 4 bdrm single family homes Please Call or check us out n the Web
www.tuckawaymgmt.com
When signing a lease, before you shake on it...