How to pick a college roommate


Many colleges make all their first-year students live on campus. This can be a great way to meet other people in your year and make some new friends, but how do you pick a college roommate? It might seem tough to find someone to live with for the next few months, but there are many ways to make sure you choose the right one.

Know what you want

It’s best to know what kind of person you would like to live with before you even start looking. Some of us want to be at the center of activity and think that a social butterfly would make a great roommate. Others prefer to keep their social circle a little smaller and might prefer a roommate who feels the same. Whatever the case, knowing the type of person you would like to live with for the next few months usually makes the decision process a lot smoother.

How to pick a college roommate

Get to know them

Choosing a college roommate doesn’t mean that you need to find someone who is just like you. However, it’s probably best that your temperaments match to make sure that you can get along. Some people prefer to live with their friends as they know they already get along, but not all of us have this luxury. Meeting your potential roommate for a coffee or hanging out for a while could be all you need to see if you get along or if your paths just aren’t meant to cross.

Think about schedules

It’s usually best to find a college roommate who has a similar schedule to yours. This means that you can work together and maybe even hang out every now and then without getting in each other’s way. On the other hand, you may decide that you want to spend as much time alone as you can and opt for someone who has a different schedule instead. There are pros and cons to each. It all depends on how well you want to get to know your roommate.

How to pick a college roommate

Discuss expectations

One of the biggest issues that come with living with a stranger is learning how to compromise about things. The cleaning is usually something that becomes an issue along the way. If you like to keep things in their place and make sure that everything is always clean and tidy, could you live with someone who has never done chores in their life? However, others prefer to spend one day a week cleaning the place and getting things in order. It’s important that both of you voice what you expect.

Learn to communicate

Living with someone who knows how to communicate is key if you want to make sure you have a peaceful life at college. You might be the leader of passive-aggressive, but that’s not always the best way to make friends. Hanging out for a bit before you decide to take the plunge and become roommates should help you to see if you can talk to one another or if there would be some communication barriers in the long run.
Living with a college roommate is a great way to share the chores, have some company, and make new friends. Learning how to pick a college roommate not only checks all those boxes and more, but it can help to make sure that your time at college is even better than you ever imagined.

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