New Years Resolutions for The Apartment

Welcome back to the small space that is… your shared apartment! You’ve made personal resolutions, and its time to consider resolutions for the apartment. Aside from it not being the mini mansion you hope to own next to Post Malone’s place one day, you are genuinely excited to be back, surrounded by your friends who you now consider family. (Especially after getting to sit at the Adult Table during the holidays and realizing how crazy your extended family actually is.) With a New Year comes the hope of being a better person, and here are some new years resolutions for the apartment to elevate your ego and keep the relationship with your bunkmate great.

Less Trash
That friends with benefits that you’re getting actual feelings for? That’s the only trash you’re allowed to have spend the night going forward. From here on out there will be less wrappers on the floor, less empty bottles left on the desk, and don’t even think about letting random pieces of who knows what hang around the trash can in your room. Apartment cleaning will take priority. It’s the easiest way to keep your room looking—and feeling—clean. If it makes you feel any better, you can try and convince yourself that guy or girl you’re hooking up with loves a clean room; whatever it takes to reach new heights.

Open Communication
Irked with your roommate for bailing on your plans to hang out? Or for blasting their music while you were clearly trying to sleep? This year, no more cold shoulder accompanied by telling other friends, “it’s just rude of them, and they need to figure it out.” No! Just tell them what’s bothering you, in a nice, calm, polite way, and watch how their eyes go wide with, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry I didn’t know!” They probably were coming off of their Adderall and needed Swae Lee blaring to really cram for that Stats midterm and had no idea that you were even in the room! Point is, shutting down and refusing to talk about why you’re upset won’t keep the apartment vibes on the most positive wave length they could be at. Communication is key to prevent apartment conflict.

Get Out
The best way to appreciate your apartment is to get out of it. As a professional dog sitter (this is true, post grad life is treating me like a queen), the times I’m gone from my place the longest is when I miss it the most. I’m not saying shack up with that frat guy who sometimes messes up your last name, but I am saying if you treat your apartment like a place for sleep and studying with occasional hang outs, your brain will re-wire it as such and you will appreciate it as your little nest in a vast campus. Hanging out there all the time will make you homesick for real home and seriously hinder all the connections you could be making. Go be social! When it’s hour 11 of workes, extra curriculars, and eating Panda Express, you’ll be so excited to come home to that room, that you’ll actually look at your Twin Extra Long like it was a comfy California King.