by Michelle B. Smith

Created on: August 29, 2009

If you thought sharing a bathroom at home with your little brother was hard, just wait until college. With many dorms having one main bathroom per floor, sharing dorm bathrooms becomes a major hassle and time management issue. Another issue is bathroom hygiene. The "sharing is caring" quote might have worked as a child but in a college dorm bathroom, sharing things such as foot fungus, bacteria, and skin rashes is hardly caring. While your college dorm is a place to meet new friends and relax, there are precautionary measures that you must take to remain safe and healthy. Who wants to start there freshman year with a staph infection?

The best way to start with bathroom sharing is educating one another. It is an institution for higher learning after all. You might think that others are filthy by choice but many people do not know the dangers of sharing public bathrooms. Throughout the nation this year, especially in the Northeast, college campuses have seen a rise in staph infections. Staph infections are caused by bacteria that can be spread through skin contact. A good way to spread this infection is using public showers without foot protection for your sores or infected skin.

Teach your fellow roommates about the potential dangers that lurk on the shower floor. Since these floors are seldom cleaned, they are truly a breeding ground for bacteria. Another great way to prevent infections is by investing in shower shoes. A simple $1 pair of flip flops can save you a trip to the doctor's office. Purchasing shower shoes can be helpful with things other than hygiene. If you are aware of the amount of roommates you have before you move in, purchase a few colorful one size fits all shower shoes. This can be a great peace offering upon arrival and can be the start to a beautiful roommate friendship.

Besides hygiene, sharing a shower can be irritating if your items are continuously lost or stolen. Another downside to the shower sharing can be the distance. If you have a floor shower versus in room bathrooms, the trip down the hall with your shampoo, conditioner, soap, wash cloth and towel can be an annoyance. Purchasing a shower caddy can relieve the bulk of this stress. A shower caddy is a helpful case or holder in which you can organize all of your items in one convenient package. Simply pick up your caddy and go to the shower. It is that painless. Use these newly purchased items of the shower caddy and shower shoes to add some flare to your dorm room style. Colors,

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