Be honest with your roommates about the type of privacy that you need to be comfortable, and be sure to listen to the boundaries that your roommates require. Everyone should feel at home in the room. If you’ve just met your roommates, it may be hard to bring up the topic of privacy and room boundaries with them. You might say, “I’m excited to live with you and get to know you, but my privacy is very important to me. Do you think we could talk about how we’re going to handle that in the room?” When it comes to having overnight visitors in the room, you and your roommates might agree that they’re allowed as long as you inform each other ahead of time. If you are willing to allow each other to borrow items from one another, it’s usually best to agree that you must get permission first.
If you and your roommates are usually out of the room at the same time for classes, work, and other activities, you may want to create a schedule that allows you each to have some alone time in the room each week. For example, you might agree to go to the library for a couple of hours on Monday evenings so your roommate gets the room, while they agree to head to the gym for a workout on Wednesday nights so you can have some alone time. You may also want to discuss whether you and your roommates tend to stay up late or wake up early so you can be respectful of one another’s schedule.
Make sure that you don’t share your electronic passwords with anyone. Don’t write them down on papers that you keep in the room, either. If you have a trunk or footlocker with a lock, keep the key in your wallet or book bag so you know it’s always with you.
In a two-person dorm room, you might use the room’s furniture to divide the space. Place the dressers, closets, or bookcases side by side in the center of the room, with yours facing your side of the room and your roommate’s facing theirs. That will create a barrier that gives you each a little more privacy. Check to see if your school will loft your bed for you. By lofting your bed, you can create a space beneath that you can put your desk or create a seating area where you’ll have a little more privacy. In a two person dorm room, having one person loft their bed and place their desk beneath it, and the other leave their bed on the floor, with their desk overlooking it, allows you to keep different sleeping and studying schedules without disturbing one another.
A folding screen works especially well if you’ve lofted your bed and created a study or sitting area beneath it. Open the screen in front of the area, and it’s almost as if you have your own private room. [5] X Expert Source Karen ParzialeHome Stager & Interior Designer Expert Interview. 21 April 2020. You can find folding screens or room dividers at stores such as Target or Walmart. If you’re on a budget, you can even make your own with old shutters and hinges. [6] X Research source
You can hang the fabric panels in the center of the room to completely divide the room, or just in certain areas, such as in front of the area under your lofted bed. If you want to be able to open and close the fabric divider, use curtain tiebacks to gather the panels back when you open up the room.
Some pop-up tents are designed to fit around a bed, so you can privacy when you’re sleeping or just sitting on your bed reading. Other pop-up tents are placed on the floor, so you can have private space anywhere in your dorm room. The tents usually have zip-out windows that you can open when you feel like being more social or just need some air.
Sleep masks come in a variety of materials, such as cotton and silk. Try some different options to see what’s most comfortable for you. Some masks are infused with aromatherapy scents that can actually encourage sleep. If you have trouble sleeping while your roommate is working, it may help you fall asleep. As a friendly gesture, you might want to purchase a sleep mask for your roommate so they can sleep around your schedule, too.
Noise-isolating and noise-cancelling headphones are not the same. Noise-isolating headphone physically block out noise by creating a tight seal between your ear and the headphone to minimize the amount of noise that you hear. Noise-cancelling headphones may use a seal to help block noise, but they also electronically cancel out ambient sounds for more effective noise-blocking. It’s a good idea to try on the headphones that you’re considering, if possible. You want to make sure that they’ll be comfortable when you wear them.
