Sex etiquette for shared living spaces

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: CANDIS BROSS
Don't make your roommates fear for their sanity. Be polite about your sexual adventures.

If you or one of your roommates happens to be getting lucky while the rest of the house is trying to sleep, or while someone has company over, it’s easy to avoid an awkward situation.

Be sure to have a discussion with your roommates about it before anything happens.

If it’s during the day and other people are home you can put some music on to cover up whatever noises you or your partner might let out, or warn your roommates ahead of time so things like noise cancelling headphones can be bought if necessary.

You may also want to make sure that your bed isn’t up against any walls, or buy a can of WD40 if the bed is particularly squeaky. Getting a rug for your room can help reduce noise for any downstairs neighbours as well if you have hardwood flooring.

If you and your partner are enjoying some shower time together, be sure to clean up if necessary and do not leave anything behind. Also, be sure that no one needs to go into the bathroom to get ready for work or school.

You may want to discuss keeping common areas like the living room or kitchen off limits for having sex to prevent uncomfortable encounters, and make sure to knock if you have to talk to your housemates while they have company over.

Also make sure that you or your partner are reasonably covered up if you have to leave the room for anything while you’re in the middle of things. Having to see you or your partner naked could make your roommate extremely uncomfortable, and make things awkward for everyone involved in the future.

Living on res with a roommate who’s got an active sex life can be awkward, so be sure to have a system of communication in place. Use tried and true methods like leaving a Post-It note saying, “Do not disturb” or even the tie or sock on the door.

Refrain from having sex if your roommate is still in the room; whether you think they are asleep or not because they probably aren’t. Also, occasionally finding yourself unprepared in the heat of the moment is one thing, but swiping your roommate’s condoms on a regular basis is inconsiderate as well as a potential problem for him or her in the future.

Going between yours and your partner’s places can also help reduce awkward encounters, and gives everyone’s roommate a break once in a while.

If it happens to be a one-night stand, you probably want to avoid leaving them in your apartment for your roommate to deal with. No one likes finding a sleepy stranger eating their cereal on the couch first thing in the morning.

If you have a steady relationship with your partner, introducing him/ her to your roommate(s) can also help to reduce any tension around the house.

Whether you’re in a house, dormitory or a regular apartment, if you’re sharing that space you’ll have to learn to get along with whomever you’re sharing it with.

For a lot of people, exploring their sexuality is a big part of college life, so be prepared to compromise and make accommodations when it’s necessary, and hopefully your roommates will do the same.