SHINee's Minho.
Colleges usually try to match you with someone who has similar sleeping habits, but alas sometimes life doesn’t work out so well. Following are some guidelines to being a good room buddy, in regards to sleep.
Discuss.
Make it clear upfront to what you want, and listen to what your roommate wants, so there are no sources of tension right from the beginning. If your sleeping schedules wildly differ, set some guidelines. For example, “I sleep at around midnight. If you Skype your significant other after that, could you please do it in the common room instead?”
Also make sure to discuss guest policies. How long can a ‘guest’ sleep over? Does gender matter? If one roommate is uncomfortable with the guest, then the guest has no choice and cannot stay in the room.
SHINee's Minho. aw poor kid. so tired. I heard he wasn't great shakes in school, either
When your roommate is lying in bed, completely quiet, that is your cue to be as quiet as possible too.
Don’t assume that because it’s 8AM or that their alarm went off and they shut it off that they are actually awake. Some people turn off alarms in their sleep, or (gasp!) they want to go back to sleep. Likewise, if your roommate listens to music to fall asleep, they still can hear you– noise-cancelling headphones are extremely cumbersome to wear to bed. It is also safe to assume that most people do not wear earplugs to bed, either.
Moreover, even if someone is fiddling around in bed with their smartphone, book, tablet, etc., as the roommate, you still cannot be bumping and thumping around noisily. Once someone is lying horizontally in the bed, not speaking, it is a clear signal that they do not want any loud distractions. For example, I usually use my Galaxy Nexus to read some manga before I go to sleep, somewhat like a relaxant, and so I would likewise like a quiet atmosphere as well.
One more thing– say you have gotten used to your roommate’s schedule, and you know when they should be getting up every day to go to class. However, one day your roommate doesn’t wake up on time. Unless your roommate tells you expressly you can wake them up or mentions in passing about a big event happening at a specific time that they could miss if they don’t wake up, do not wake them up. You never know– class cancelled, they decided to take a personal day, etc. Just unplug your hair dryer and use it in the bathroom. Take phone calls in the hallway. Make an effort to be as quiet as possible.
Leave a light on if you go to sleep before your roommate.
It doesn’t have to be the brightest light; you can get a night-light for a few dollars. Be considerate of your roommate, so when they come in the room, they won’t trip over things, or even worse, turn on the light that illuminates the whole room, possibly waking you up.
Give your roommate a heads up if anything changes.
“By the way, I’m going to a party, so I’ll be back at 3. In the morning.”
“I’m staying at a friend’s for the weekend. I’ll be back in two days.”
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People come from many different backgrounds in college, and what some may consider to be common sense is a bit foreign to others; so the best tip to follow is to be considerate and open to suggestions. Sleep is extremely important for your education to sink in and be of use, so don’t be afraid to bring things up. Plus, I hear sleep can make you more beautiful. Now, who doesn’t want to be intelligent and dashing?
I love it when you post about college Michelle! I can’t really contribute, because, you know, I’m still in high school… but thanks for sharing this. (:
lol. by the time you get to college, you’ll be a super roommate *.* everyone will be clamoring for you to room with them.. XD unless you happen to go a fabulously cool college and get four years of a single :Q