Be Flexible If It Doesn’t Work Out
Not everyone will be a perfect roommate. If youre unhappy with your roommate or living situation, talk to your residential advisor. Some colleges allow dorm room swaps if all occupants agree to the switch. Most housing offices will consider room or suite reassignment as space becomes available. Be patient a roommate is not forever.
If youre living off campus, changing roommates can be more complicated, depending on who holds the lease, tenants rights in your area, and your lease agreement. This guide from Nolo Pressdiscusses some of the issues to consider.
Try Out Roommate Finding Apps To Find A Roommate
RoomSync is a Facebook app that lets students match up with incoming freshmen. Easy Roommates features an app for matches to apartments near your college or university. Even choose your preferred roommate preferences and browse profiles. Another app to help you find a roommate is the Roommates app. This app is synced to the users Facebook account for prescreening. Add a monthly budget, hobbies and preferred neighborhoods to find the perfect roommate. Contact your desired roommate through the site or find them on Facebook. Thanks to technology, finding a roommate just got easier.
The One With A Significant Other
First year, my daughter’s roommate developed a serious relationship with another student. “Serious” meant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They went to class together, ate together, studied together and slept together most of it in my daughters one-room double.
It was awkward for my daughter because she took her study time seriously and her roommate didnt seem to care. They had no shame when it came to activities reserved for the private bedroom.
How did my daughter cope? She learned to knock first if the door was closed. She also expressed her desire to study, relax and entertain in the room as well.
After multiple conversations and a few awkward interruptions, her roommate got the hint and spent time with her S.O. away from the dorm room. As the semester progressed, the couple broke up and my daughter got her roommate back.
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What Do You Expect From Your Relationship
This kind of goes back to the who. What are you expecting in terms of a relationship with your new roomie? Do you anticipate being BFFs immediately after move-in? If youre moving to a new city or state, are you searching for a new partner in crime to explore with? Or are you the kind of person that is just looking for someone to share space with to cut down on living expensesyou spend most of your time on your own anyway?
Start With Your Friends
One of the easiest ways to find a roommate is to start with the people you already know. If you and your friends attend the same college, consider rooming together. You also can ask your friends if they know anyone else in need of a roommate.
Just because you get along well with a friend in high school or through extracurriculars, however, that doesn’t mean you’ll be compatible roommates.
Consider friends with similar living habits as yours. If you value tidiness, then a friend who never folds laundry or leaves dirty dishes out will probably irritate you. Similarly, more laid-back students could quickly become annoyed with a friend who’s constantly cleaning up or needs to be asleep by 10 p.m.
Without a similar outlook or clear communication on living expectations rooming with a friend might end up ruining your friendship instead of bringing you closer together. Make sure to have conversations about values, habits, and communication before deciding to move in together.
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How To Find A Roommate At Uf
There are a lot of steps you can take to reduce college living costs. You can select a community that has amenities that provide inexpensive entertainment. You can choose a building or community that includes high speed wi-fi. But one of the best ways to minimize expenses is to find a roommate, or two. If you are attending the University of Florida and dont know anyone else who is going there, how do you find a roommate? There are multiple options.
How To Find A Roommate
Finding a compatible roommate to share an apartment is far more challenging than it seems. Whether youre moving to a new city or your current roommate is moving out, searching for a housemate can be difficult and stressful.
There are many benefits to having a roommate. In todays economy, its very common to live in shared spaces for long periods of time. Rent prices are soaring, and not many renters can afford a place on their own, especially in big cities.
Simply put, finding a new roommate is the cost-efficient decision. Cutting your rent and utility expenses in half will have your wallet thanking you. All the while, you can still live in your desired location and pursue your life and career goals. Who knows, your roommate just might turn into a lifelong friend. However, if youre on the fence, weigh the pros and cons of having a roommate first.
If you have no idea how to find a roommate, we’ve got you covered. Here are 7 ways to find a roommate.
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What Characteristics Do You Have That May Not Mesh Well When Living In Close Quarters With Someone Else
When youre choosing a roommate, keep in mind that they arent the only part of the equation. They have to choose you too. Now would be a good time to take a look in the mirror and figure out if there are any annoying habits that you have. Take the summer to practice taking your dirty dishes to the kitchen sink. Get in the habit of turning the TV volume down after 10 pm. Sometimes its the small things that get under peoples skinyou know your own pet peeves, but be aware of how others perceive your behavior too.
Secrets To Finding The Perfect College Roommate
Looking for a new college roommate can be a difficult and overwhelming task, but these seven strategies can help you find the right person to live with.
Preparing to go off to college is hard work. Choosing your classes, deciding where to live, and finding a part-time job are just some of the challenges youll face. But having to find the perfect college roommate? That might seem nearly impossible. But rest assuredit’s not. If you know how to approach the situation, finding someone to share a space with in college can be a breeze. You’ll need to have an understanding of how you live and what you expect from those who live with you, and you’ll need to do some networking and research. But if you do it right, you’ll be able to find a great new roommate in no time. Read on to learn seven secrets to finding the perfect college roommate.
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Who Can You See Yourself Living With For The Next 8 Months
Before you start your roommate search, you should take a minute to reflect on what youre looking for. Chances are youve had your own room for the last few years, are you really prepared to share your space, what little of it youll have, with someone else? Choose wisely, because having a roommate is a big deal, but remember, you can always move after room freeze is over.
How To Find A College Roommate
Your college may assign you a roommate based on your answers to a housing questionnaire, or let you find your own. If youre looking for off-campus housing, check with your college or universitys housing office, which usually has listings of rentals close to campus and may also be able to connect you with students looking for roommates. Or, consider using a roommate-finder website, such as Roomsurf.
However you go about it, finding a compatible college roommate depends on how you manage your roommate search, and how well you communicate your needs and lifestyle. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
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Know Your Own Preferences
From the beginning, its really important to understand what your preferences are for habits and daily routines. Do you like to go to bed early or are you more of a night owl? Is it okay to have a slightly messy space or would you rather have everything neat and tidy? Would you rather live with someone who has similar preferences to you? Knowing yourself and your preferences will help you navigate compatibility options better!
Select A Community With A Roommate Matching Service
Choose a community that can help you find a roommate through their own roommate matching service. When a community offers a roommate matching service, they have a vested interest in making sure roommates are as compatible as possible. Take advantage of a communitys roommate matching service to help.
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Where Do You Plan On Living
Something else to keep in mind when youre looking for a roommate is where you want to live. If youve decided to apply for a LLC, your roommate has to be part of it too. If this is the case, maybe being randomly paired with someone else who has applied for the LLC would be a good option. On some campuses there are other themed housing options in addition to Greek life, co-ed housing, apartment-style housing, suites, doubles, triples, and quad-dorms. The options really are endless, but if youre already chosen a roomie, you both need to be on the same page when it comes to choosing your space.
Take Advantage Of Summer Orientation Programs
Many schools have summer orientation programs that occur before housing selection forms are due. This is a great opportunity to meet incoming students who may not live close to your hometown but have great roommate potential! Most likely, youll meet people in your major and have time to get to know them while also learning about what to expect for your first-semester college experience.
Overall, things will all fall into place and you will find a roommate in the end! If you dont find your match though, dont panic as most colleges have a random roommate selection. These surveys have been distributed and used for a long time so theyre pretty good at pairing compatible people together. Good luck with your search and your first year of college!
Admissions
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Use Social Media To Examine Your Options
Social media is an amazing tool and almost everyone has it! Some schools, like Etown, may offer different for the new incoming class once youve been accepted. This opens up a big pool of students who are also looking for roommates like you and is a great way to set up one-on-one discussions with your peers. This leads me to the next point…
Schedules That Fit Your Needs
Before you finalize your roommate choice, consider your potential roommates schedule. You may want a roommate whose schedule aligns with yours, allowing the two of you to work together and hang out from time to time. Alternately, you might want a roommate on a different schedule, allowing you some time to have the apartment to yourself. There are also drawbacks to each style. You wont have as much privacy if your roommate is always around, and you or your roommate may occasionally wake each other up if your sleep schedules are significantly different.
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Learning How To Find A Roommate For College
Your college roommates can help direct and influence how much fun you have and the number of memories you make. Although it’s only a short-term living situation, it’s an important one.
Still wondering how to find a roommate for college? We’d love to connect you to like-minded students who share your similar drive, motivation, and work ethic. From meet-ups to trips, Honor Society members have myriad opportunities to connect with one another.
Apply to join today and let’s take this next step together!
Know What You Want Out Of It
Before you can start searching for a roommate, you must decide what you want from your shared living arrangement. For example, some college students want a best friend that will go with them to parties and movies. Others just want a roommate who will pay the rent and keep to themselves. You may want to live with someone who shares your own interests, or you may want someone with different hobbies to expose yourself to new ideas.
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The One With A Significant Other From High School
If your student has a roommate with an ongoing romance from high school, they can expect the roomie to be on the phone constantly talking and texting.
The roommate may be an emotional roller coaster: crying over fights, analyzing every conversation, moping, and possibly needing continuous comfort over breakups .
How does your student cope? Be patient. Most high school relationships fizzle out as the student becomes more involved in college and meets new people. Try and be compassionate, but dont let the roommate’s relationship woes ruin your college experience and don’t let it prevent you from getting out and meeting people.
Who Will You Have To Reach Out To For Help
Do you know anyone else on campus? Sure, on-campus resources, like professors, mentors, and tutors can be great, but who will you go to when youre feeling a bit homesick? Who will you call when youre actually sick and desperately need a cup of chicken noodle soup? If you dont have any other friends attending college at the same school as you, your roommate might become the new shoulder your cry on. So, do you need a roommate thats dependable, or are you okay with someone who is here and there and not super reliable?
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When Did You Apply For Housing
On a similar note, you should pay the fee to hold your spot and apply for housing as soon after youve made your decision as you can. The sooner you apply for housing, the more likely you are to get your first choice dorm and/or LLC. Check with your schools housing team to see what their policies are. In some cases, you can apply for housing before having chosen a roommate and then add them later, whereas others require that you list your roommate on your housing application.
Prepare A Roomie Interview
Once youve identified possibilities for your living situation, make sure to get some face-time in with your prospective roommate. Set up a video call, prepare some questions, and prepare to answer some of your own! After all, interviews to determine the right housing situation should go both ways your maybe-roomie will certainly have concerns of their own to ensure youre a good fit for them, too.
Here are some of the questions that MyMove suggests asking during this pre-agreement interview:
- Do you keep your apartment clean, or do you tend to be messy?
- Do you have any pets?
- How often do you have friends in the apartment?
- Do you smoke, use drugs, or drink alcohol?
- What do you study?
- Do you work? If so, what do you do?
- What does your typical daily schedule look like?
- How do you handle shared expenses, like the internet bill?
- How many things are you moving with, both furniture and personal items?
- What time do you usually go to bed?
- What are you looking for in a roommate?
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Who Will You Know On Campus
Are you going to school somewhere close to home where the majority of your classmates will be the same as your high school peers? If so, perhaps living with someone from a different area will give you a fresh perspective, or the novel experience youre after. Or, will you be traveling to attend school out-of-state where you wont see any familiar faces? If youre attending college a fair distance from home, living with someone who attended your high school or who is from your area might be a bit comforting. Its all about finding that balance and knowing how much of home youre going to need with you.
If Nothing Else Follow The Golden Rule
Treat your roommate like you’d like to be treated. No matter what your relationship is at the end of the year, you can take comfort knowing you acted like an adult and treated your roommate with respect.
Don’t think you and your roommate are going to be able to work it out? It can be easier than you think to address your problems and, ideally, find a solution that works for both of you.
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College Roommate Questionnaire: Finding The Best Match
Posted by Kayla Rutledge
Finding the perfect college roommate is a lot of pressure. How are you supposed to live with someone youve possibly never even met? On top of that, youve probably heard horror stories from family members and friends that have you feeling pretty stressed. But dont worry. With a few simple tips and tricks, its easy to find a roommate youll love.
Make Sure They Can Pay Their Share Of The Rent
Your best friend from high school may seem like the perfect roommate, but if they already owe you money, renting with them may be problematic. Pick a roommate that you know can pay the rent each month on time. Someone who has a steady job is more reliable than a student relying on their parents for rent money.
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