You’ll always have company in a shared apartment, On the other hand, we all need some personal peace and space every now and then. For some people, a shared apartment is the number one choice for living in the beginning of their student life – just like an once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing and on the other hand, the affordable rent lets you spend money on some other things. Another student might have ended up in a shared apartment because nothing else was available. Whatever the reason may be, shared living comes with pros and cons just like any other type of living.
Living in a shared apartment and sharing a home with a friend or someone you don’t know beforehand can be managed with the following guidelines:
- get to know your flatmate on a first name -basis and exchange even phone numbers
- Remember that your flatmate does not have to be your best friend, but because you are sharing an apartment, it is good to establish a line of conversation: good manners include greeting your flatmate even if you feel like your interests are the polar opposites.
- Tell each other what you expect from living – some own peace or company, or a good mix of both?
- Agree and discuss the ground rules for the next basic things:
- what is a good amount of cleaning and how you share your duties
- should you both buy common cleaning equipment and toilet paper which are then also used together
- is it okay to invite friends and partners over
- Take care of the apartment on your own part, and do not use the items and food of your flatmate without permission
- If the shared living does not seem to work, contact DAS, we are glad to help!