As the new semester begins, students will be faced with inevitable struggle of maintaining a clean room, whether it is in an on-campus dorm or apartment or even off-campus.

However, students who live on campus are expected to keep their rooms clean enough to pass the test of a residential assistant or RA working for ULM’s Residential Life.

Several students and RAs agree on tips to tidy up that room.

Taylor Fink, a sophomore undeclared major, said developing a routine for cleaning and relying on certain products helps her to tend to her room in Bayou Suites.

Though Fink admitted she sometimes cleans her room as a way to procrastinate, she also said cleaning helps to make the semester easier.

“I feel like when my room is a mess, my life is even more of a mess,” Fink said.

Fink recommended the combination sweeper-mop that uses both dry cloths to dust and wet cloths to mop as a product suitable for college students who need to clean their floors in a quick and cheap way.

Living with a RA helps some students stay motivated to keep a tidy room at all times.

Marissa Wright, a senior secondary education major, said she lived with a RA and as a result, always kept her room clean.

Wright said cleaning helps her get away from stress, as a mess will stress and distract her.
However, Wright said sometimes cleaning is not always a top priority during the semester.

“One thing we always waited to do was dishes,” Wright said.

Roommates might encounter questions regarding how to separate duties.

Sarah Ricaud, a pharmacy student, serves as the Ouachita Hall director. For a smooth start to the semester, Ricaud suggested roommates discuss their shared space.

“Make sure boundaries are set,” Ricaud said.

This is especially true for a shared bathroom. Ricaud said four female students will share one bathroom in Ouachita Hall.

Ricaud said this requires individuals to lay down ground rules and agree to respect one another’s items.

Because the most commonly shared space in on-campus housing is the bathroom, Ricaud recommended students go to a store such as Dollar Tree and purchase cheap products such as Bleach and spray bottles. These items can assist in cleaning toilets, showers, sinks and other spaces.

Ricaud said cleaning one’s room and keeping items neat and organized does not require it “to look pretty.”

“Your organization might look a lot more chaotic than someone else’s,” Ricaud said.

A room neat enough to ensure the ability to find an individual’s clothes or school supplies is “one less thing you have to stress about,” according to Ricaud.

Roommates can be open-minded about the levels of cleanliness. If issues need to be mediated, reach out to the RA.

“It’s less stress on the shared environment between roommates,” Ricaud said.

Less stress and a tidy room could even allow space for signature pieces of furniture such as a stylish ottoman or plush chair.

A student has many options to decorate his or her newly cleaned room that might stay that way.