If you’re moving into a student house, you’ll want to get familiar with ‘house etiquette’. Each house is different, of course, but generally, the same rules apply: don’t make too much noise, don’t take too long in the shower, don’t clog the drains. However, if it’s your first time living with other people, you might want to know the subtleties of housemate-to-housemate interactions, and these might not be obvious from the start.
1. No, it isn’t ‘just a plate’ in the kitchen
Yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard the same stories: “Oops, forgot that I had ten plates in my room,” or “That pan is mine, yeah there’s egg on it, yeah it’s burnt,” and the ever-classic “I’m leaving for two weeks, no I’m not going to do the dishes and no it’s not my problem!” Absolute gems.
Let’s be real – no one likes doing dishes. You could programme a robot so that the sole thing it would do was to wash dishes, and it would still skimp on that. But please, if you want to be a good housemate, regardless of the cleaning schedule, regardless of what’s already in the sink, at least make sure you pick up after yourself. Cooking is a step-by-step process, and you can wash your cutting boards and utensils between your steps. All it takes is some Dreft™, some warm water, and five minutes.
2. Make an effort to hang out with your housemates
Sharing living spaces with other people is probably the quickest way to learn about someone’s best and worst habits. But before you see the bad, make sure you hang out with your housemates and try to get to know their good side. Even if you can’t be bosom friends, you’ll at least understand each other and will have figured out how to get along.
If you live in a house where social interactions are expected (for example, if you have dinner together every day), then this tip is especially for you: you don’t want to be eating dinner with people you hate every day. It can be hard at first, with everyone else being familiar with the house and you being in a new environment, but when you guys click, living together can be one of the fondest things you’ll look back on.
3. Don’t get a loud hobby
Especially if you like indulging in your hobbies at night. Look, I generally don’t care what my housemates get up to in the middle of the night, especially if they’re quiet about it, but I will complain if they suddenly pick up the dusty guitar they have for the first time in months and start strumming Wonderwall. My problem isn’t the guitar, it’s the fact that they chose to play Wonderwall.
In all seriousness, you have to be mindful of what kind of hobbies you can afford to keep in a house you share with other people. Being loud is fine, but some houses have a curfew that you should abide by – at least if you want to keep the peace.
4. Be mindful about what you steal from your housemates
Just admit it: you’ve definitely helped yourself to some of your housemate’s soy sauce at some point because you forgot to buy it from the supermarket. I’m the type of person who doesn’t mind at all if my housemates take my cooking stuff (I encourage it, in fact, if they’re missing ingredients) as long as they leave enough for me, because I also do the same to them. Listen, people forget to buy groceries all the time, and I’m not going to start a witch hunt just because you stole a bit of cheese from me. But if you take an entire block of cheese that I paid seven (7!) whole euros for, then oh boy.
5. Don’t be up socialising at 4 A.M.
Again, I don’t care if you come stumbling inside the house roaring drunk at four. I don’t care if you bring a couple of people in after a party, and they’re there because it isn’t a good idea for them to go home at this hour, and our house is closest. But for the love of God, please don’t bring in people from an event and start an afterparty in the house at four in the morning – especially if it’s on a random Wednesday and you keep making trips to the kitchen even though you know the floor is creaky and you’re turning on the stove. If you want to be a good housemate, the bar isn’t high – common sense is a factor in all of these tips.
6. STOP HOGGING THE SHOWER
Hey man, it’s 8 in the morning, could you –? Yeah, you’ve been in there for half an hour, there’s a queue. What did you say? You just got started? Hey man, if you could just… Yeah, if you could just. Just hurry up in there, please, we’ve got class in ten minutes. It’s 8 in the morning and we need to. Yeah thanks man thanks thanks.
7. Stick to the cleaning schedule
A lot of student houses will have rotating cleaning schedules. If you’ve just moved in, you’ll usually be slotted into the easiest task at first – maybe it’s taking out the trash. Whatever it is, just make sure you abide by the holy schedule: it’s what keeps the house clean, after all, and you don’t want to feel as though you’re freeloading off of your housemates. Keeping the house comfortable and clean is a team effort, and while people may go off track during busy periods like exams, you should always try to do your part as best as possible.
8. Do not get a pet. Do not even think about getting a pet.
Look, I’ve had my own fantasies about owning a house pet. Luckily, I live in a pretty chill area where a lot of housecats just roam around the streets, with some even being familiar enough with our house that they just waltz in like they own the place. However, if you run this idea through to your housemates (“Hey guys, we should get a pet!”) you’ll be remembered as the weirdo who thought it was a good idea to get a bunch of irresponsible students be responsible for a living, sentient animal in a disgusting house with more mold than you’ve ever seen.
9. Don’t hog the kitchen
I’ve noticed that everyone has their own cooking habits. John cooks at six. Eva cooks at eight. This kind of stuff, the little habits you notice – if you keep it all in mind, and learn what other people prefer, then you’ll be seen as the golden housemate. Unless it’s the weekend or a holiday, don’t cook something that takes longer than an hour. This may all sound as though you’re conforming to other people, but you sort of have to be a bit selfless if you want to keep the peace in the house.
Living in a shared student house comes with its challenges. It means making concessions and making amends when you realise you may not have been the best housemate you could be. Luckily, though, when everyone puts in the effort, living together can be one of the most fun parts of student life. It’s a fun experience where you get to know yourself better and possibly make friends for the rest of your life. With these tips, you’ll make a good start!
