If you’re like me, one of the best parts of college life is spending time with your roommates. I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of great roommates the last four years, including Indiana Daily Student podcast editor Annabel Prokopy.
Annabel and I have lived together for two years now, and it’s helped us grow a lot closer. Here are some of my favorite ways to spend time with my roommates.
Cooking meals together
For many busy college students, the best time to catch up with your roommates is over a meal — I tend to run into my roommates while I’m cooking dinner each night. Sometimes, we each prepare our own separate meals then eat together. Other times we'll have a meal together, so we get even more time to talk.
Watch a show
Two years ago, my roommates and I decided to start two TV shows together: Netflix’s “Bridgerton” and “Sex Education.” We would try to watch an episode at least once a week, and it gave us a good excuse to catch up on our weeks. I suggest choosing a show that has several seasons by the time you watch it — it’s easier to binge, and you’ll get way more invested in the characters and plot.
Explore your neighborhood
Each year, I’ve loved exploring the nearby businesses and the outdoors surrounding my apartment. This year, I live in a designated historic neighborhood off campus. The homes are beautiful, and my roommates and I like walking around together to point out our favorites. Sometimes we talk or listen to music, and it’s fun to learn more about Bloomington outside of campus.
Last year, when I lived on the east side of Bloomington, my roommate and I would walk to nearby Bruster’s Ice Cream. It because a fun tradition — whenever one of us had a bad day, we would go and get two scoops of white chocolate raspberry ice cream.
Decorate your common space
One of the most exciting parts of moving into a new place is decorating. I suggest spending a night with your roomies deciding how you want to set up you living area and kitchen. In my house this year, we had a fun time driving across town to find a couch on Facebook Marketplace and spent time organizing everything around the house. They even kept me company this fall as I tried to hand assemble chairs and a charcoal grill. Doing this together is not only a fun bonding experience but ensures you all feel invested in the space.
This article was originally published in the Housing & Living Guide, an IDS special publication.
