The college roommate relationship is complicated. Therefore, it is important to know what questions you should ask your roommate on phone before you move in to keep everyone on the same page and prevent dorm life from turning into nightmares. On the one hand you are stuck with this person for the foreseeable future, so you have to make the most of it. On the other hand, to what extent do you really know this person with whom you will live for part of your academic career? Make sure you ask these questions to your roommate if you want to keep calm during the school year.
What to ask your first college roommate on phone over the summer
When do you plan to move in? Or do you have anyone to help when moving in?
- You probably will not want to move at the same time – this will complicate the whole process. Your new room will be tiny and many people will find their account. However, if your new roommate does not receive help during the move, this is a great opportunity for you to offer help!
What do you want to bring into the room?
- If you offer a mini fridge, you should let your future roommate know before you buy it! Same with microwaves, futons, or anything else you could share (and probably have no room for two).
What kind of decor did you think?
- Before you buy a pink dorm decor, you can check with your roommate to work on the styles. You do not have to coordinate, but it’s important to remember that you share a space, so remember that all opinions are polite.
How is your social life?
- It’s good to know how your roommate sees social situations, so you can be aware that he has company in the room when he feels uncomfortable about it.
What chores do you do?
- Ask a potential roomie directly how often he cleans, so a better approach might be to ask them which tasks they least hate. Then you can make compromises, and while you sweep your common room for a week, clean the sink!
Do you smoke?
- If you live in campus dormitories, smoking is not likely to be your biggest problem as most campuses have a strict policy against smoking in the home. But the last thing you want is a conflict in which your RA reports your room after you suspect that someone is smoking there. If you find out that your potential roommate smokes, you should inquire in advance about pleasant conditions. If you live in an apartment, determine the apartment’s smoke policy and go afterwards.
What time do you usually go to bed?
- After a long night of study, the last thing you want to do is go back to your dorm and find your roommate watching a movie without headphones until 2am. On the other hand, life in the dark is no pleasure for anyone. If you know that you usually get up late to finish your job, it may not be advisable to sleep with someone who is going to sleep at 10PM. every evening to the point!
What time do you usually wake up?
- Try to compare your dates for the semester in advance. Contradictory schedules are a recipe for the friction between the roommates and waking up by the sound of a hair dryer at 7 o’clock is no fun for anyone.
What do you think about the guest night?
- Suggest this question in this format because it gives you the opportunity to hear the answer of your roommate first. Remember that you share a living space and that nobody wants to feel uncomfortable in their own room. Be courteous with your roommate when it comes to having guests for the night.
Do you like warmer or cooler rooms?
- It seems obvious, but it will not be the case if you wake up at 3 am after your roommate has lowered the thermostat by 3 degrees … again.
What’s your biggest nuisance?
- It is beneficial to find out in advance what your roommate does not like, especially if this stupid thing is something you do every day.
How do you feel about sharing clothes?
- Going home to your roommate wearing your new sweater without permission is usually not ideal. Clean this foggy area in advance and always ask before you take something that does not belong to you.
What are your learning habits?
- Having an academically compatible roommate is a big bonus. If you both learn the same way and have the same classes, you have a free tutor who lives with you. What’s better than that?
What does your typical weekend look like?
- In the best case, your roommate will end up being a close friend of yours. Simple questions like this test compatibility and give insight into the possibility of going out of dormitories. Of course, even if your typical weekend has nothing to do with yours, you can still be super compatible and find exciting new activities that you can do together over the weekend.
Should we make a colocation agreement?
- If you think after the discussion that problems can occur, you should create a collocation agreement. There you can describe all the bids and prohibitions so that each one of you understands what is expected in terms of customers, schedules, cleanliness and other roommate issues.