Picking a roommate for college can be stressful. For me, my biggest fear was what if we don't get along. However, I ended up with one of the best roomies I could ask for! How did I manage to get a roommate that I got along so well with? Simply! We communicated everyday for several months before we committed to room with each other. If theres one thing that I learned when picking a roommate is good communication. Don't be afraid to ask questions up front so you can get to know them better. Below are 10 questions that I think are super important to ask your (future) roommate!
Are you a night owl or a morning person |
It is very important to know if your roommate is a night owl or a morning person because you want to make sure you are on the same page. You need to establish when y'all want the lights on and off because no one likes to be woken up, especially by a light. However, if your roommate and you are not on the same sleeping schedule, thats okay. When I needed the lights on and my roommate wanted to go to bed she just put a sleeping mask on, and she found that to be super helpful!
When do you do homework? |
This ties in with "are you a night owl or a morning person." Since I am a BIG night owl, I didn't usually start my homework until 10 at night. However, I do not recommend that because that can cause you to stay up later than you wanted.
Are you and introvert or an extravert? | Not knowing if they are an introvert or an extravert can cause issues because if you are an introvert you may need some alone time, and it is important to establish that. And if you are an extravert you may want to have people over all the time. See the issue? Therefore, you need to establish if you are an introvert or an extravert. However, if y'all are different in this aspect, its okay. You just need to make sure set rules about company.
What temperature do you want the room? |
No one wants to be uncomfortable in their own room. Whether y'all like it hot or cold, you need to ask so if you disagree you can find a happy medium. My roommate and I kept our room cold!
Are you messy or clean? | Everyone likes to lie and say that they are clean. However, most of us are messy, and we need to accept that. You need to be honest with your roommate because they are going to find out eventually. But, I would like to add that my room in college was a lot cleaner than my room at home. However, that does not mean it was spotless.
Are we going to talk if something is wrong? | Communication is key when rooming with someone. I highly recommend being open with your roommate because if they are getting on your nerves nothing will change if you don't speak up.
Do you plan on partying? |
Sometimes this can be an uncomfortable question because this is one question that you need to agree upon. Is your roommate okay with you coming back drunk? This is something y'all definitely need to talk about in advance.
How do you feel about sharing? |
Would y'all be okay with sharing food and clothes? Even if your roommate is okay sharing you should still ask before you take, just to avoid issues.
Who is bringing what? | No need to have two TV's, two fridges, two microwaves, etc. Therefore, you need to figure out who is bringing what, and make sure that one person isn't buying everything.
What color schemes are you thinking of? | I don't know about y'all, but I love a good color scheme. I don't like everything to be the exact same, but I like everything to match. My roomie and I went with a pink and navy theme and it was perfect! Next year I'm thinking about a blue and gold color scheme?
Overall, everything is about communication. You need to be upfront with your roommate about everything so they know what to expect. It can be a big change for some people to never sharing a room to sharing a room for the whole school year. Just be honest with your roommate and everything will work out!
XOXO,
Caroline