Neighbors

Side by side, not alone. Discover how building good relationships with your neighbors can create a more supportive and connected student experience.

Home Help & Advice FH OÖ Compass Life Neighbors

Neighborhood

The difference between having neighbors and living in a neighborhood is the engagement and the relationship with one another.

Whether in a student residence or in private apartments or houses, you will always have neighbors. Especially when renting privately, it may happen that your neighbors approach you with prejudice once they find out that you are a student. That is why it is even more important to make a good impression, integrate yourself into the community, and maintain social cohesion with your neighbors.

A Good Neighborhood Matters for Well-Being

You cannot always choose your neighbors. But those who have a good relationship with them usually appreciate it. This is shown by an Austria-wide survey of 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 69.

On average, Austrians’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction with their neighbors are more or less balanced: slightly more than one third (38 percent) are very happy with their neighborhood. On the other hand, four out of ten people say that some neighbors are annoying. Only four percent cannot stand their neighbors at all. Another nine percent either do not know their neighbors well enough to judge or have no contact with them at all. People in Upper Austria are above average satisfied with their neighbors, with 42 percent expressing satisfaction.

Studentische Wohnheime in Hagenberg von außen

Openness and Courtesy

A good neighborhood is beneficial for everyone involved. People can support one another and maintain social connections. Many people appreciate being asked for help and enjoy exchanging small favors with each other. Openness, curiosity, mindfulness, and courtesy are important components of a good neighborhood. Those who isolate themselves and do not maintain social contact cannot expect much support.

Looking for Solutions Together

Wherever people come together, there are also different opinions and attitudes. Conflicts mainly arise where different needs clash. When seeking a conversation, it is better to explain rather than to patronize. Ideally, everyone involved works together to find solutions in which no one is left at a disadvantage.

Important for Well-Being

Neighborhoods are social relationships, and these have a positive effect on health, personal well-being, and life expectancy. A good relationship with neighbors creates a feeling of belonging, solidarity, and support. Whether it is a conversation over the garden fence, a helping hand, or a listening ear — in good neighborhoods, people feel comfortable and not left alone.