How To Find A College Roommate Who Won't Drive You NUTS

Tips For Finding The Perfect College Roommate

Students returning to college have a huge advantage over new students. They get to choose their own housing. In addition, because you know yourself better, you will have an opportunity to choose with whom you are going to live with.

It is empowering most students to decide the type of environment and the individuals with whom to live with, which will shape their coming year. Still, some students struggle to decide whom to live with either because there are too many or not enough options. Those challenged with roommate choices are encouraged to spread the word out early that they are pondering options. Planning is important.

Read this tips to assist you with finding a roommate for the upcoming year! 

Discussion Prompts With Your Potential Roommates

• Discuss your sleeping habits during the weekend and weekdays.
• What temperature you like the room to be, warm, cool or cold.
• Discuss what kind of sense of humor you have
• What time do you typically come home? How you will handle late night situations.
• Talk about the noise level in the room
• How much TV do you watch and what kinds of shows do you like to watch
• Discuss what state you like the room in
• Where do you like to study
• What belongings are you willing to share and the ground rules
• What are your thoughts on alcohol
• Do you smoke?
• What are your religious or spiritual values
• What are some of the habits a roommate might need to know
• What guidelines should be set for guests in the room

Do You Want A Fresh Start Or Stay With Your Best Friend?

If you are deciding whether to join a new community, be social, focus on your academics, make new friends or continue with your current experiences. Most students face the age-old decision, whether to live with a good friend or select a stranger.

Should Your Friend Be Your Roommate?

Friends can be awesome roommates, as long as you really know how they live. Having your friend as your roommate is a good choice because you already know you like this person and you have common interests. Living with your friend may also make things a lot easier. However, if your friends’ habits easily annoy you, you should realize their way of doing things would just magnify once you live together.

For instance, your friend loves to shop and has a ton of clothes she lets you borrow. However, imagine having those dirty clothes thrown all over your residence hall room. Alternatively, what if your friend adores One Direction but he does not turn down the tunes while you are trying to study. Could these little habits cause so many problems you have to end your friendship? You need to decide if living together is worth the possible risk of losing a friend.

Advantages Of Living With A Friend

• Living with a friend is more comfortable than living with a stranger, especially at first. You will skip those pins-and-needles first days of trying to get used to each other.
• Even though college campuses are full people, they can very lonely places if you do not know anyone. Live with a friend and you will always have someone to count on.
• Friends are much more likely to share their stuff – clothes, food or movies. It may be more awkward to borrow from a stranger.
• Residence hall room shopping is easier if you do it with a friend. You can decide who brings the rug, which brings the gaming console and so forth.

Should You Live With Someone Who Is Not Your Friend?

Having a stranger as a roommate has its advantages and disadvantages, just like living with a friend. If you have many disagreements, then you do not have to worry about it damaging your long-term friendship. In addition, living with a stranger is a good thing since you will meet with a new person and start another friendship.

However, having a stranger for a roommate may cause more conflict. What will happen if the two of you are complete opposites? Perhaps you like your friends to come over often, but your roommate is more of an introvert. Not having anything in common with and not knowing a lot about whom you live with requires some energy in the beginning.

Advantages Of Living With An Acquaintance

• If you live with a stranger, there is nothing to lose. If you do not get along with your new acquaintance, the problem ends when you no longer live together. If you do not get along with your friend, though, you can lose a friendship. Keep in mind that living with someone is different from just being a friend to someone. In addition, people who are super compatible as friends might be horribly incompatible as roommates.
• If you live with a friend and have problems, you can put a strain on other friendships as well. You will not approach any of your friends and vent about your roommate problems, because the roommate in question is their friend as well!
• If you live with a stranger, you can go your own way and not see each other for a while. This can be a welcome break even if you two get along. However, if you live with your friend, you cannot get away with it.
• Having a friend to fall back on can make you too comfortable. Some people go to college their first year, hang out with their friends from high school and do not make an effort to know other people.
• Living with a stranger is a mind-opening and maturing experience. It forces you to learn how to accept someone who is different from you and helps you learn to both assert yourself and compromise. After living with a stranger in a small space, it may make it a little easier living with a romantic partner when the time comes.

The Pros And Cons Of Having College Roommates

Before signing contracts with colleagues, consider the following pros and cons.

Advantages

1. Saves Money

Half of the rent of a two bedroom apartment is likely less expensive than the full rent of a one-bedroom in the same building. These price variances mean renters can save money while reaping the benefits of residing in more expensive communities and complexes. Decreased rent per person means a better chance to score the best location, too. Prospective tenants looking at apartments for rent to share with friends can stretch their budgets further than if they hunted alone.

 2. Split Chores

Two people can clean a lot faster than one can. You can divide household chores evenly so both parties complete the same amount of work. Renters’ may find themselves organized if they know they affect their roommates by their cleanliness or lack thereof.

 3. Increased Safety

Living alone can put individuals at risk for break-ins and burglaries. Although having roommates does not guarantee well-being, it certainly helps dissuade criminals. Aside from theft, roommates can assist in cases of medical emergencies, such as heart attacks or concussions. Unsurprisingly, single renters are more at risk if serious emergencies occur than those with roommates who can call the authorities or ambulance services. Having someone available for support helps bring peace of mind if nothing else.

Disadvantages

 1. Unreliable Rent Payments

Late portions of total rent payments reflect negatively on all residents. Property owners typically do not charge separate rents for each roommate. Rather, property managers consider units as a whole, so monetary disregard is attributed to everyone. Aside from irritating proprietors, rent negligence can hurt credit ratings or potentially cause evictions. Select roommate who have proven their financial responsibility in the past. Budget-minded friends are likely good potential roommates who will not harm anyone’s fiscal future.

 2. Personal Disagreements

 Sharing space forcefully with someone can cause immense tension and negatively affect an otherwise great renting experience. What is the point of paying for apartments with gourmet kitchens and luxurious living rooms if roommates make it uncomfortable to venture into common areas? Make sure your roommates’ personality is compatible with yours; close friends are likely better fits than random renters from online classified advertisements are.

 3. Different Lifestyles

Typically, homebodies should not live with constant partiers. Even if your personalities match, their different lifestyles may cause issues. For instance, a full-time worker should avoid living with a nightlife-loving undergrad. Find renters with corresponding calendars, so that you do not disrupt sleep schedules. Nothing prompts a fight quite like exhaustion coupled with annoyance.

Conclusion

Since the launch of Facebook in 2004, the college roommate process has changed dramatically. This allows students to window-shop roomies before they get to campus. However, whether or not students choose a roommate, living with someone will not always be a smooth-sailing experience. The key to getting through it is to utilize open communication and realize that like everything else in life, it is only temporary. 

Living with a best friend is a great experience, but it is best to consider all of the pros and cons before moving in together. Your best friend may not necessarily be the best roommate.