We recently published a blog on how to make new friends when moving to a new city (check it out here) but what about your roomates? How do you bond with them and break the ice? Your roommates can make or break your coliving experience. Bonding with them once you move-in is key in order to form a good relationship (and make the most of shared living). This can be difficult in the beginning and may take some time. Read some of our top tips (in no certain order) below!
Create a group chat
After getting over that initial awkward ‘hey’ you could create a group chat with all your housemates! t will make it easy when you have any questions or when you want to plan anything. In case of an emergency, it is also good to have all of their individual numbers!
Plan a meal together and get to know each other
Once you have moved in, the best way to get to know each other is over dinner. If you’re all feeling up for it you can plan to cook a meal (here are some fun and easy recipes) or just order a cheeky take-out. It is the perfect setup to ask each other questions, find out more about each other and hopefully bond over similar interests and/or experiences.
If you are new, explore the city together
If you and/or any of your other housemates are new to Singapore you can explore the city together. Here are some of our favourite places you have to visit!
Create a house spotify playlist
A communal playlist is always fun! You can make a collaborative Spotify (or Apple Music) playlist. This will avoid the argument of who’s music to play ;)
To avoid misunderstandings - create simple house agreements
Even if you all become great friends there will always be one or two things that could cause disagreements or arguments. Such as being too loud, having guests over (or even tiny things like taking up too much fridgespace). The easiest way to avoid this is by setting out agreements. Whether that is having set quiet hours, letting the group chat know that guests are coming over or splitting the fridge into sections. You can hang it up somewhere around the house so that nobody forgets ;) If you need some inspiration, check out our Ten Rules For Comfortable Home sharing.
Have a couple of beers and play Jenga
This may not be the case at every coliving operator but at Casa Mia Coliving we provide a set of Uno cards and Jenga at every home (have a look here at what else every Casa Mia Coliving home comes with). Buy some snacks, a couple of beers and you're good to go.
Plan monthly house outings
Another great idea on how to bond with your housemates could be by planning monthly house outings. Whether you go for drinks, food, watch a movie or doing a morning (or evening) hike, meeting up once a month can bring you closer. Of course, if everyone has time you can make it a weekly or activity. You could come up with a list of some cool bars around town and try and go to one each month. To get you started, here is a list of the Top 50 Bars in Singapore!
Join sports teams together
If some of you are into the same sports why not join a sports team together? This is a great way that you can meet new people that your housemates also know. In Singapore there are multiple ways you can do this, a quick Facebook group search should do the trick.
Decorate the communal spaces together
Most coliving homes have basic furnishing with a few textiles, pictures or plants here and there. If you want to make it feel more like your own home why not decorate with your flatmates. Here are some basic DIY tips to get you started :)
Keep your door open
Now this might seem obvious, keeping your bedroom door open (when you’re in the mood to socialise) will encourage your new roommates to pop by and say hello!
