Dear Dale,
My roommate and I have very different sleep schedules this semester. I unintentionally wake her up early while getting ready in the morning, and I’m blinded by her desk light when she comes in at night. And on top of that, we hardly ever see each other anymore. How do I fix this logistical mess?
-Earlybird Ellie
Dear Ellie,
With a new semester comes a new schedule and subsequently, a whole new set of challenges. Living in tight quarters with another person is hard enough, but the addition of an off-sync routine can make it even more painful. However, this does not have to be the end of your dormitory days. You can still remedy this problem without altering your schedule or roommate choice.
The first step is to talk to your roommate. She may not even realize that you are bothered by her coming back to the room late. You also may be able to extend more grace to your night-owl friend if you can see where she is coming from. However, you should also refrain from overreacting. After all, your eight hours of beauty sleep are not really worth compromising a friendship.
On a more practical note, you and your roommate can designate “quiet hours” in your room to ensure you are respecting each other’s sleep. For example, from 11 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. the lights stay off and neither of you can play music out loud. It is just another way to ensure you both understand and acknowledge the other person’s schedule.
Finally, I recommend planning purposeful friend “dates” in advance to maintain your friendship even when you’re not necessarily on the same timetable. These do not have to be anything remotely complicated. Just a simple lunch date or planning a time during the week to study up the hill together will do the trick.
Having a comfortable living environment makes the college experience much more enjoyable, and the only way to achieve that is by knowing and appreciating who you share your space with.
Your dueling sleep schedules may seem like an unclimbable obstacle, but it only takes a bit of effort on both parts to make living in harmony work.
-Dale