what to write to potential roommates for college

By Kailey Walters

When it comes to having a new roommate, most of the fourth dimension you won't know what to expect. Whether you've been used to living at domicile with your family, on your own in an apartment, in a college dorm room, or anything else in between, there'south ever something different and exciting to await from getting a new roommate you lot've never met before.

If you're dying to find out more about your future roommate before you lot two movement in together, it'south a skilful thought to reach out to him or her. However, doing and then isn't always the easiest -- it can be difficult to go ahold of them sometimes, and when you lot do, how do you know what to say?

If yous're struggling to figure out how to attain out to your hereafter roommate, here are a few things you should know.

1. Find a way to contact them.

If you know that this person is going to exist your roommate, you already have their proper name and well-nigh likely at least 1 form of advice with them. For example, if you have their phone number and/or email address, corking! Getting in touch with them shouldn't be too difficult, as they're likely to run into your bulletin and respond fairly quickly. Email particularly is a good grade of contact for first-fourth dimension interactions, since it's a bit more than formal than other modes of communication and gives you lot both room to limited yourselves politely and professionally.

If yous somehow don't happen to have either their email or phone number, y'all can try searching for them on social media such as Facebook or Instagram (whether you terminate up stalking them or not is entirely up to you). This is a skilful road to take if you lot don't heed establishing a casual human relationship with them right from the get-become. What's more, social media can assist you and your time to come roommate put a name to each other's faces by viewing one another'due south profile pictures.

2. Introduce yourself.

Now that you accept a way to contact them, call up about what you want to say. Information technology doesn't demand to be annihilation elaborate or long-winded -- rather, something short and sweet is good enough.

A elementary "Hi, my name is ____ and I'm looking forward to being your roommate" will suffice. Whether or not you want that elementary introduction to evolve into a much longer conversation is up to you and the other person. If y'all continue to talk and accept a cracking conversation, that's crawly and definitely an encouraging start to your relationship as roommates.

If you observe yourself stuck after "Hullo, nice to meet you lot," that's okay -- all you need are a few getting-to-know-them questions that can get the ball rolling. In that location's no need (yet) to inquire a lot of personal or deep questions, equally those tin can be saved for later when yous already know each other better. Plus, you don't want to scare them off past asking too many invasive questions right away. Instead, stick to some basic ice-billow questions such as, "What'southward your major?", "Where are you from?", "What do you similar to practise in your spare time?", etc. These volition hopefully help the 2 of yous get to know a little more about each other, at least on a bones level.

It's also a expert thought to ask questions that will help you acquire more about their lifestyle, as those details are important for how the 2 of yous will get along while living together. Y'all may want to inquire questions such as, "What time practise y'all unremarkably go to sleep/wake up?" or "Practise you like to have guests over?" The answers to these questions can assistance give you both at least a general idea of each other's lifestyles.

And even if the chat starts to fall flat after a while, that'south okay. Communicating electronically tin be a flake inconvenient sometimes. The 2 of you volition exist able to get a better grasp of each other once you finally encounter in person.

3. Program out rooming details.

After you've gotten the basics out of the way, an important matter to take intendance of is the rooming situation. Whether or non it's your first time rooming with someone else, it can sometimes be a little tricky to coordinate what each of y'all volition be bringing, what with all the different things yous'll need. (Y'all'd be surprised at how long the list of items tin grow!)

With that beingness said, an important first stride to accept is to clarify when each of yous volition be arriving at your shared room. Whether yous'll be living in an on-campus dorm room or an off-campus apartment together, it's good to know who will get in that location first, whether your parents or anyone else volition be accompanying you lot to assist motility in, etc. Knowing these details will help to ensure a smooth move-in process for the both of yous, so that on the twenty-four hour period of neither of you will be scrambling effectually trying to effigy out who'south getting there first.

Yous and your futurity roommate should also coordinate what piece of furniture you'll each exist bringing. Doing so can prevent either of you from bringing extra, unnecessary furniture. So if one of you wants to bring a Boob tube, for example, the other can bring a mini fridge and call it even.

Information technology'southward also a good idea to discuss with them any items that they absolutely can or cannot accept in the room. Perhaps if they have allergies of some sort or for whatever reason have a potent aversion to X, talking about it can clarify these things correct abroad earlier they go a real issue.

4. Plant boundaries.

A major key to any successful roommate relationship is clear and constructive communication. Establishing a standard for this blazon of advice correct from the get-go is vital if you want to take a adept human relationship with your future roommate.

Many colleges have roommate disharmonize agreements that all roommates are required to go through and sign. Even if you find yourself rolling your eyes at this practise, don't e'er take it so lightly. Looking through it thoroughly with your roommate at the outset of the semester tin perhaps shed some light on what kind of human relationship yous want to have with them and any expectations yous may concur of each other. For example, if you tend to occasionally leave your clothes on the basis instead of in the hamper but your roommate keeps her side spotless, the two of you may want to acknowledge that divergence right from the beginning so as to avoid whatever potential issues that may crop upward later. Other of import details -- such as preferences for inviting friends over at night or on the weekends, how late both of yous stay upward at dark, whether yous sleep through your alarms every morning, etc. -- should also be discussed early on.

If there are chores to be done, such as taking out the garbage, washing dishes, doing laundry, vacuuming, etc., effigy out a schedule for that likewise. Splitting up the tasks and creating a physical schedule, which you lot can put up in an easily attainable identify such as taping it to the kitchen wall, will hopefully help the two of you divvy upwards the chores in a fair way.

If yous live in an off-campus flat or firm, some of these things may not be as applicable to you. Perhaps neither of you will exist around as much, since you'll most ofttimes exist in class, in the library, or wherever, and won't see each other quite that frequently. However, it is definitely even so of import to touch base with your roommate before moving in, or as early on as possible. Information technology'southward always meliorate to be over-prepared than under-prepared!

5. Send one another your schedules.

As yous'll both exist busy bees flitting around campus, what with classes, clubs, extracurriculars, and whatever else, keeping runway of ane some other'south schedules is bound to be pretty hard. To combat the defoliation, print out your schedules for the semester and put them upwards somewhere easily visible, perhaps your room doors or on the wall.

That way, y'all and your roommate tin proceed track of when one of you volition most probable exist in or out of the room at certain times of the 24-hour interval. Knowing when the other person has a big exam or an early morning time class the side by side day volition also be helpful, and then that yous know when to be extra quiet or to not bring whatsoever friends effectually at dark.

6. Plan out decorations.

After all the serious things you and your future roommate accept discussed, talking about decorations is sure to be a welcome change. If the ii of you lot are up to information technology and savour interior decorating on some level, this is a perfect opportunity for you lot both to bond besides.

Exchange ideas on what kinds of decorations you lot'd like to have or what kind of aesthetic you're going for. Some classic dorm room decorations include cord lights, posters, colorful throw pillows and bedspreads, and Polaroid photos, but to name a few. If yous and your roommate happen to exist artistic or creative in whatsoever way, feel gratis to share your ideas and come upward with something that both of y'all can exist happy with!

vii. Plan a time to encounter up in person.

After all this chitchat, y'all may feel the demand to run across up with your future roommate in person before actually moving in. (If yous don't feel the need to practice this and merely want to wait until movement-in day, that'southward perfectly fine too!) The feasibility of this programme depends on how far abroad you two alive from one some other.

If it'south a reasonable altitude, perhaps less than a half hour abroad, it may be a good idea to meet upward in a casual setting -- perhaps a Starbucks or bookstore -- and talk contiguous. Doing so tin can assist the 2 of you become a feel for each other and put a name to the face before moving in, so that on the big day, you won't be every bit surprised or awkward around 1 some other.

This is something to plan solely between you and your roommate. If both of you lot are down for information technology, go ahead!

8. Don't force them to be your best friend.

Many people think that roommates are ever supposed to be best friends -- a flawed idea that's oft portrayed in the media including movies, TV shows, and books. Of course, a good number of roommates turn out to exist bang-up friends and keep in touch with one another long afterward they've stopped living together.

However, that's non e'er the case. That doesn't mean necessarily that you'll end up living with a horrible roommate and will want to tear your hair out from being with them. Instead, it may mean that the two of you lot are cordial with i another but don't immediately hit it off as best buds. That'southward perfectly fine. Even if you desperately want your new roommate to exist your automatic all-time friend, relationships don't unremarkably piece of work out that manner. Instead, friendships need to exist built upwards gradually over time so that they are grounded in mutual trust, understanding, and shared experiences.

In that location volition be times when a relationship with your roommate doesn't flourish the way yous imagined -- so instead of staying up late and telling each other your deepest darkest secrets until iii a.m., your roommate says skilful night to you and falls comatose at xi:xxx. Whatsoever happens, you should ready yourself to deal with either state of affairs beforehand then that you are equipped to bargain with virtually anything that comes your manner.

Reaching out to your future roommate doesn't have to be a scary experience. Rather, it can often be a fun and exciting chance where you get to know your future roommate better and finally find out what it's like to room with someone else.

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Source: https://www.roomsurf.com/content/blog/What-to-Know-About-Reaching-Out-to-Your-Future-Roommate

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