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7 Important Questions for College Roommates

7 Important Questions to Ask Potential Roommates for the Upcoming Year

By hannah LongPublished 5 years ago 5 min read
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College acceptance letters should be littering social media posts in the next couple of months which means there will be an abundance of incoming college freshman rushing to join FaceBook housing groups. Social media is a great way to meet potential roommates, especially for students who do not want to room with someone from their hometown. In the excitement of finding a roommate and thinking about housing assignments, however, some important questions for potential roommates can be overlooked which leads to potential consequences down the road. Hindsight is 20/20 and I personally wish I would have asked my current roommate some of these questions before rooming together for the 2018-19 academic year. Seven of the most important questions everyone should ask potential future roommates are listed below.

1. What time do they usually go to bed?

This question seems like a fairly common sense thing to ask; however, when inquiring about typical bed time, make sure you are very specific. If someone says they like to go to bed early, be sure to ask how early they plan on trying to get to bed and if they are routine about it. For example, their idea of an early bed time may be earlier or later than yours. This small miscommunication up front can cause issues later on about whether or not the light stays on while one of you is trying to sleep and the other is trying to get work done still. This kind of situation is maybe okay on an occasional basis but is not a problem you want to face daily.

2. How hot/cold do they like the room?

Again, a seemingly common sense question that can cause major disagreements down the line. Some dorm rooms do not have the ability to easily adjust the temperature; however, some do and you want to make sure you and your roommate agree on what relative temperature it should rest at. Also, it may be important to consider whether or not a fan will be wanted in the room to cool it down more or if action wants to be taken to try and keep the room warmer. In most cases, dorm rooms are small rooms so it is important to make sure the space is adequately heated or cooled in a way that you and your roommate can agree upon.

3. Are they okay with music or TV being played out loud?

Not as often thought about but personally I like to listen to music while getting homework or studying done. This is an issue when either a) your roommate does not listen to the same kind of music or b) does not want to listen to anything at all. This includes watching Netflix on your computer. Are they going to be okay with you playing it out loud or do they expect you to have headphones in when there is sound playing? And if they are okay with music or videos playing, another important thing to ask is how loud is okay to play it? Speakers are great but it is important to make sure you aren't the only one in the room who wants to listen to such loud music.

4. Do they plan on coordinating room decor/colors?

Some people feel as though it is implied that roommates will coordinate comforters or wall decorations, but this is not always the case. It is important to know upfront if matching is planned, or if each of you want to do your own thing with your half of the room.

5. Do they plan on going out often or coming in late?

A very common question but it is important to be specific with this question rather than simply saying, "I don't plan to go out often" or accepting that as an answer from a potential roommate. Specify how often is "often" and ask if they plan on staying the night somewhere or if they plan to come back into the dorm at late hours of the night. It can be an inconvenience to regularly be woken up by a roommate coming in late at night and it is crucial to try and avoid that situation when possible.

6. How clean are they?

Another very obvious question that is again important to ask specifics about. You are most likely going to be living in a small room with one or two other people. Things such as how often the trash gets taken out, how often the desks and other surfaces are cleaned, and how often the room is swept or vacuumed is very important in such a small space. Keeping a small room clean is crucial in helping prevent illness in close quarters, and also helping the room not feel so cramped.

7. What kind of food do they eat and how often?

This question seems a little out of the box but is easily one of the most frequent conversations my current roommate and I have. She prepares all of her own food in the kitchen on the ground floor and heats it up throughout the week. This causes issues when it is microwaved in a small room and smells a little funky. This seems like an oddly specific example; however, if you plan to room with someone who eats fast food often, it is important to discuss whether or not you want that french fry, fried chicken, or pizza smell stuck in your room.

***

It is important to ask other questions besides just these seven, and some of these questions are common sense to ask; however, these are questions that need more specification than most people typically think of. If I had asked my current roommate the questions listed above I think I would have been able to find a roommate who was a better fit or we could have talked some issues out before they turned into bigger problems.

So as incoming freshman are excitedly posting acceptance letters and hunting for roommates for the upcoming academic year, it is important to remember what characteristics in a roommate you want. Living on a college campus is an adjustment and making sure you and your roommate mesh well is key to making that transition as smooth as possible.

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