While choosing a roommate at random may seem simple enough, you’ll want to consider a few key questions to ask potential future roomies before moving in.
What are your cleaning habits?
If you’re exceptionally tidy and need order to thrive, you probably won’t want a messy roommate. Assess your own cleaning habits, and use them to determine which roommate would be the right fit for you. Ask your roommate to agree to a reasonable cleaning schedule, and make sure you both stick to it. If you’re the messy one living with a clean roomie, respect their space by containing your mess and keeping it on your side of the room.
What kind of schedule do you have?
If your roommate is coming and going at any hour and disturbing your sleep schedule, it won’t take long before that begins to wear you down. Compare schedules with your roommate options and choose which one will seem to disturb you the least.
It’s also important to discuss sleep habits. If you’re the early-to-bed-early-to-rise type, then you may not want a night owl for a roommate. Their late nights of homework, microwaving dinners, and shuffling around in the middle of the night will almost certainly keep you from resting.
Do you plan on having people over often?
Residence rooms are small. There’s enough space for you and your roommate to live comfortably, but not much otherwise. Bringing a bunch of other people into the room will feel packed, and it could make either you or your roommate feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in your own room. So, if either of you plan on spending time with your friends frequently, set some rules for when other people can be in the room. There are plenty of places on campus to hang out with friends, so make sure you and your roommate can both relax and feel at peace in your room.
Do you think we’ll get along well?
Even if your schedules don’t line up at all, you’ll still be required to interact with your roommate at some point. Many best friends began as college roommates, and this is often because they took the time to determine whether or not their personalities were a good fit for each other. Taking the time to interact with potential roommates on social media or texting is a good way to get to know each other better. Doing this will allow you to determine whether or not you can successfully share a room for a long period of time.
Picking a roommate is an important decision; however, by taking the time to ask these few simple questions, you can ensure a better college experience. Who knows, you might even find your new best friend!