High school seniors, it's that time when you are starting to narrow down your college choices, make a decision, and look for a roommate on the Facebook pages universities have created for you to meet others who will be embarking on this journey with you. Ultimately, you'll be searching for a roommate who will be a good fit for you, meaning you two will get along, have similar study habits, and have the same mentality towards room cleanliness. Lucky for me, my roommate and I are really close and get along really well, and thankfully we asked each other these questions so we knew ahead of time that we would be a good match. As you're searching for a roommate, here are some key questions to ask each other and key topics to discuss before deciding to live together the following school year:
"What's your sleep schedule like?"
First, recognize if you are a night owl or an early bird and think to yourself how important it is to you to have a roommate with a similar sleep pattern as yourself. If you know you like going to bed in a silent room with no lights on at 10 p.m. every night, it probably isn't going to work the best if you live with someone who wants to have the lights on and music playing 'till 2 a.m.
"What are your study habits?"
This is an important question because much of your time in college will be spent studying, along with having a social life, but everyone studies differently. Some people want to wake up early and get their day started as they crack open a book, however, others prefer to stay up late to get work done. This goes along with the question about sleep schedules, but it is really important to know how what your potential roommate's work ethic is when it comes to balancing school, work, and a social life.
"Would you consider yourself a neat freak or messy?"
Some roommates end up having to draw a line across the room to separate each other's "sides" of the room. If you know you are a messy person with clothes all over the floor, but the potential roommate you are talking to is the complete opposite and likes things spotless, you two will want to start looking for another person to live with.
"What extracurriculars are you involved in now and do you plan to continue in college?"
It will be good to know the interests of your roommate and what they plan to get involved in on campus. Do they plan to rush and join Greek life? Is that important to you? Will they be playing an NCAA sport or with a campus recreation group? These are all great things to know so you're not only getting to know her better, but also giving yourself a better idea of whether or not you think you two will work as roommates.
"What are you majoring in?"
GiphyTypically this won't make or break a decision on who you will be rooming with the following school year, but you never know. Plus, the more you know about your roommate in advance, the better!
"What is your opinion on overnight guests and visitors?"
This is an important factor because this can lead to arguments quickly if this is something you disagree on. If you have high school friends visiting, friends staying over after a night out, or any other guest, you should clear it with your roomie first.
"How do you spend your weekends now?" and "How will you spend them in college?"
If you are one that generally does not enjoy the party scene, you will more than likely want a roommate who is on the same page. This question is key because you will get annoyed quickly if you are being woken up every weekend by a roommate coming home late at night when you are trying to catch some Zs.
"Where are you from?"
A question that is important to some, but maybe not for others. If the location of your roommate important to you, this may be a deal breaker, but not typically. It's just good to know if your roomie is familiar with campus area, traveling from far away, or even just a few hours away.
"What will we share in the dorm?"
Trust me, you will not need two of everything. You can share a mini fridge, TV, Keurig, rug, and humidifier, so there's no need to each buy one and have double the stuff. Besides, it won't all fit in your tiny room! Just look at pricing and figure out who buys what so you each spend a similar amount.
"Do you have any allergies?"
What if you love peanut butter and have it on a daily basis but then you discover that your future roomie is insanely allergic…?
"What temperature do you like to keep the room at?"
If you know you love a freezing room so you can fall asleep with 10 blankets, you'll want to run this across your roommate first, just in case she prefers the room warmer and may not want to change her mind.
"Do you have siblings?"
If they grew up with brothers or sisters, they are already familiar with sharing toys, space, and attention from parents with either older or younger siblings. If you know this, then you'll know they are already be used to having another person around the house with them.
Don't forget the fun stuff like...
Of course, to have a good relationship and friendship with your roommate, don't forget to talk about the fun stuff that you are each involved in, what you enjoy doing in your free time, favorite shows, favorite music, and favorite colors (especially if you want a color-coordinated Pinterest dorm). These things are the things that will help you maintain a fun environment in your room that you are both comfortable with.
Hopefully, these tips help you find the best college roommate! Of course, you can't judge everyone off of how they seem over text or Instagram, but both generally give you a good idea. If you are lucky like me, you will end up a fantastic roommate who will double as a BFF too. Happy searching!
