Living with a roommate while studying at KDIS provides a great opportunity to get to know fellow students and forge lasting bonds. Through this experience, students can develop a greater mutual understanding and respect in addition to increased communication skills with their roommates and others. The development of such interpersonal skills will further prepare us to engage effectively with individual people and communities, wherever we go. Because KDIS is a multicultural environment, representing many countries across the globe, it is enjoyable to speak with students from other countries and come to understand their cultural and linguistic backgrounds. We decided to gathersome tips from various students living in the dormitories by listening to their salient advice in terms of living with roommates from different cultures.
Based on our conversations, we generated a list of tips for fostering stronger roommate relationships and other bonds and connections.

Tip #1: Living in Harmony through Mutual Respect
Respect appeared to top most students’ lists as an absolute priority. Many students stated that they felt excited by the prospect of living with a roommate, though they were likewise apprehensive or uncertain about living with someone whom they might not know well. Additionally, people greatly differ regarding their likes and dislikes, their interests, and their needs. It is thus important for roommates to be considerate to each other by realizing that similarities and differences will inevitably exist. The roommate agreement is a good place to start, as it is important to become familiar with your communication styles and spot any potential differences that might cause friction. Some roommates may be sensitive to noise levels, cleanliness levels, talking on the phone at early or late hours, sleep times, and a variety of other considerations. If respectful rules are established early on, this can help to solidify the foundations for a happy roommate life and a better living environment.

Tip #2: Living in Harmony through Open-Mindedness
Since many KDIS students who are living together in the dorms are from diverse cultures, it is equally important to maintain an open mind about our expectations and to communicate them clearly to someone who might be different not only in national origin but also in culture, religious beliefs, age, and so forth. The student advice most salient here was to uphold the principle of embracing diversity and unity by respecting each other''s differences and capitalizing on commonalities. Because our mission here at KDIS is to learn from one other and create a great experience for all, practicing such open-mindedness and acceptance will not only help us to fulfill that mission but also, beyond that, create lasting relationships.

Tip #3: Living in Harmony through Compromise
Negotiation and compromise are a part of everyday life. As an extension to the principle of respecting others, it is therefore important that we know when to forgive a minor matter to avoid making a mountain out of a molehill. Expect that there will be times when you do not see eye to eye with your roommate. As these differences arise, compromises will need to be made, even if you might prefer otherwise. This does not entail compromising your core principles or things that are important to you, but it does mean viewing the situation through a wider lens to accommodate the person with whom you are living.

Tip #4 Living in Harmony by Letting the Good Times Roll
This was our favorite tip, which is essentially to have fun! As important as it is to have mutual respect for each other and make compromises, it is important to bond with your roommate and enjoy getting to know someone who might be from a different country or culture, or who might simply have their own unique, individual quirks. Having fun with your roommate does not necessarily mean that you must spend all of your time together, though if you do spend most of your time together, that’s great! However, many of us may be very busy and already have an established group of friends. Nonetheless, it is important every once in a while to engage with your roommate, whether it be through small talk, fun talk, or deep talks. Enjoying your roommate''s company will enable you to better respect them and reach compromises more easily. If your conversations with your roommate are mostly positive, it will be much easier to offer some constructive feedback and be more open when you would like to express your displeasure about something.

Tip #5: Living in Harmony through Effective Communication
An important aspect of communication is talking to your roommate respectfully. This is crucial because it can allow roommates to solve potential problems before they arise or get out of hand. As it is not easy living with someone else, even if it is someone that you have known for a long time, it is important to discuss things and attempt to accommodate others as much as possible. This includes keeping each other in the loop to avoid uncomfortable conversations or communication shutdowns later on. That said, many students note that it is important to set limits and express them clearly to your roommate so that you do not have a misunderstanding. In addition to what you say to your roommate, another important aspect of communication is how you say it. It is best to communicate in a thoughtful, agreeable, and sincere way.

Tip #6: Living in Harmony by Self-care
We all have bad days, or days when we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and are perhaps moodier than usual. However, it is important to avoid taking out our negative emotions on others; rather, it is necessary to find ways to relax and vent our frustrations and emotions in other, healthier ways. For example, taking a small trip, exercising, listening to music, or talking to someone who can offer help are methods of recovering from a poor mood or bad day. This way, we can avoid lashing out at our roommates and instead find more positive ways to channel our emotions.

There you have it: 6 tips on how to get along with your roommate and others in general! Have a wonderful semester, and cherish all the great moments and experiences you will have at KDI School.