For many, getting used to a new share house with new housemates is a struggle. Last semester’s challenges of figuring out meal rosters, chore lists, ground rules and just generally how to live with new people was difficult, for sure.

But things get a lot harder. This semester, the honeymoon period’s done, and your housemates’ flaws (and your own) are quickly bubbling up to the surface. You’re going to have to start being proactive about protecting your sanity.

Here’s the definitive guide to coping with your crazy housemates this semester.

Make The House A Nice Place To Be In

If there’s any reason not to let your housemates get to you, it’s this one. Your share house is your safe space. Your refuge from HECS, your retreat from bumping into people you kind of know who are keen to catch up, your shelter from uncomfortable clothing. If you can’t feel happy in your own place, where can you?

That’s why it’s important to keep tiffs with your roomies in perspective, be (generally) forgiving, and prioritise the sanctity of your home over petty squabbles. If you want to get along well with your housemates, start by putting effort into common areas: put up posters, light some candles. Set up a shared Spotify playlist that everyone can add to and play from a Bluetooth speaker in the living room. It livens spaces up, and you and your housemates will have a soundtrack to identify with.

Talk About Problems The Moment They Arise

There’s nothing worse than getting a passive aggressive Splitwise notification, reminding you of a vague debt from three months ago. If you’re splitting something, do it the day of the purchase while it’s still fresh!

If your housemate is annoying you, do not bottle it up. Draw a line instantly, and have a civil discussion about it. Otherwise, you’ll just be keeping scores against each other. For example, last week, I found out that my housemate had kidnapped my favourite mug to use as an ashtray. When he got home, I told him about it, he apologised, and now he uses my other housemate’s favourite as an ashtray. See? Communication.

Actually Hang Out With Them

If you’re living with some people, odds are it’s because you were all friends and thought it would be a good idea to “take it to the next level” and move in together. Remember that you were once friends with the people who you now curse for using your razor.

The first signs of a decaying housemate to housemate friendship is when you stop hanging out with each other outside of the house. It’s not an excuse because “you see them all the time”. Friends do activities beyond binge-watching TV shows and smashing teas. Leave the house for a night, get a babysitter, and watch that spark come back.

Maintain Different Friendship Groups

This is a biggie. If you and your housemates share exactly the same friends, it can breed a lot of jealousy. It’s not a nice feeling to hear that your housemate is having a catch-up with a close friend of yours, and that you didn’t cop an invite. Getting home to see some of your friends hanging out without you is another weird feeling.

If you’re entering into a sharehouse, I suggest moving in with people you’re good, not great friends with. This way, you’ll have some friends in common, but won’t be jealous when they make plans without you. In any case, maintaining different friendship groups is a solid idea because you get to have a social life outside of your housemates. Bonus: the housewarming will actually have an interesting guest list.

Wait Out The Lease

If all this fails, and you’re still verging on insanity, don’t worry. Take a step back and relax. Don’t be fooled by ~aesthetic~ Instagrams, the perfect sharehouse is a myth.

Maybe your sharehouse is just good enough, and that’s fine! Remember that most leases are only for a year. If things can’t be salvaged, they can’t be. Make the most of it, wait out the lease, try again, get driven crazy again.

(Lead image: Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment 23/ABC)