Living in a WG: Mastering Shared Apartment Culture

Most young people in Germany live in a WG (Wohngemeinschaft = shared apartment). It's affordable, quick to find, and the default for students and young professionals. But WG culture has unwritten rules. Break them, and you'll be silently hated by your roommates. Follow them, and you'll have a stable home and probably some decent friends.

1. What Is a WG? How It Works

A typical WG has 3 to 4 people, each with a private bedroom, sharing kitchen, bathroom(s), and common areas. Everyone is on the same lease (usually), or sometimes each person has their own separate contract. Everyone pays rent separately. It's NOT communal living in the hippie sense, it's practical roommate-sharing.

Important: You're not required to be friends with your roommates. You're required to be respectful, quiet, and clean. Friendships sometimes happen, but don't expect it.

2. The Unwritten Rules (This Is Critical)

These aren't written down, but breaking them causes resentment:

• Quiet Hours: 22:00 (10 PM) - 06:00 (6 AM) on weekdays, ALL DAY on Sundays and holidays. This is legally enforced. No loud music, no parties, no vacuuming at midnight. Sleep is sacred in German culture.
• Kitchen Cleanliness: Clean your dishes IMMEDIATELY after use. Leave the kitchen clean. Don't leave your food in the fridge for weeks. Shared kitchens get messy quickly, preventing it beats fighting over who's responsible.
• Bathroom Time: Mornings can be bottlenecks. Showers shouldn't exceed 15-20 minutes if multiple people need to use it. Don't hog the shower during peak hours.
• The 'Lüften' Law (Ventilation): German windows are airtight. You MUST open windows fully (Stoßlüften) for 5-10 minutes twice a day, even in winter. If you don't, mold (Schimmel) will grow on the walls. Landlords will blame you and keep your deposit to pay for it. This is serious.
• Respect Private Space: Your roommates' rooms are off-limits. Don't enter without invitation. Don't borrow their things without asking. Ever.
• Bathroom Sharing: Your cleaning supplies and toiletries belong to you. Share basic things (toilet paper, soap) but keep your personal stuff separate. Don't assume others will replace your stuff.
• Rent & Utilities: Pay on time, always. Set up automatic payments (Dauerauftrag) if possible. Late payments damage trust immediately.

3. Communication: The German Way

Germans communicate directly. This feels blunt to many cultures, but it's efficient. Problems get solved quickly because people say what they mean.

Example Problem: Your roommate leaves dishes in the sink. Instead of being passive-aggressive or avoiding conflict, you say: 'Hey, I've noticed there are dishes in the sink. Can we agree that everyone cleans their dishes immediately? It's getting annoying.' This is not rude. It's professional.

What NOT to do: Don't clean their dishes silently and then be angry. Don't gossip with other roommates about the 'problem roommate'. Don't leave passive-aggressive notes. Talk directly, one-on-one, calmly.

4. WG Meetings (Regularly Scheduled)

Many WGs have a monthly or bi-weekly 'WG-Sitzung' (WG meeting) where everyone sits down to discuss shared costs, problems, and schedule. If your WG does this, take it seriously. This is where conflicts get resolved before they blow up.

• Typical Topics: Who's cleaning this week? Do we need to buy new toilet paper/cleaning supplies? Has anyone noticed a problem? Do we need to adjust house rules?
• Duration: Usually 30-60 minutes. People stay on topic and wrap up efficiently.
• Don't Skip: It's disrespectful to skip regular meetings. Your input matters.

5. Shared Costs (Cleaning, Supplies, Utilities)

Who pays for what? This varies, but here's what's typical:

• Rent: Everyone pays to landlord separately (or same amount if joint lease)
• Utilities (Strom, Gas, Wasser): Split equally every month. Someone collects and settles the bill.
• Internet: Usually split equally (~€5 to 10/person)
• Shared Supplies: Toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies. Usually buy collectively and split cost. Some WGs use an 'Kasse' (collective fund) where everyone chips in €5 to 10/month and one person buys everything.
• Trash/Recycling: Landlord usually covers. But YOU split cost of extra trash bags or recycling bins if needed.

6. Dealing With Difficult Roommates

Not every WG is harmonious. If you have a genuinely problematic roommate:

• Document Issues: Keep a record of problems (dates, what happened). This matters if legal action becomes necessary.
• Talk to Them First: Be direct. Most problems are resolved with one honest conversation.
• Involve Other Roommates: If the problem affects everyone, discuss it as a group at the next WG meeting.
• Contact Landlord (Last Resort): If someone violates lease (excessive noise, damaging property, refusing to pay), inform the landlord. They can take action.
• Exit: If it's truly unbearable, you can usually give 3 months' notice to leave (check your lease). Don't stay miserable for months.

7. Your First Week in a WG: What to Do

When you move in, take initiative:

• Introduce Yourself Properly: Knock on each roommate's door, introduce yourself, exchange phone numbers. Ask about their schedules, routines, and any house rules they want to highlight.
• Attend the Next WG Meeting (if scheduled): Listen, don't dominate. Understand existing house rules and shared costs.
• Ask About Cleaning Schedule: When does each person clean common areas? What's the rotating schedule?
• Find Out Payment Methods: How are utilities split? Do you pay someone directly, or does the landlord collect?
• Clarify Guest & Noise Expectations: Ask about visitors, parties, and any specific boundaries for the apartment.

8. Special Considerations for Nursing Trainees in a WG

Your schedule is unusual. Communicate this clearly to roommates:

• Night Shifts: Tell them you'll be sleeping during the day. Ask them to be extra quiet during your sleep hours (e.g., no heavy cleaning, no guests). Compromise is key.
• Early Mornings: Some shifts start at 06:00 or earlier. Roommates need to know you'll be showering before dawn.
• Irregular Schedule: Share your monthly roster (if possible) so they know when to expect you.
• Exhaustion: On heavy shift days, you might need to retreat to your room immediately. This is okay and normal.
• Compensation: Consider doing some WG tasks differently, maybe you handle trash more often because your shifts align with trash day, for example.