When you start college, it’s common to share a dorm room or apartment with a stranger. If you live far away from your future roommate, you may have no opportunity to meet up in person over the summer. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to connect before move-in day. This will mean you feel more comfortable when you start living together, which reduces the chance of any conflict.
1. Add Each Other on Social Media
Use social media to gain a better idea of your roommate’s personality. What people post on social media often tells you a lot about them: their interests, how they spend their time, whether they have a large group of friends or a few close friends, and even their political views. You may also be able to use social media to find out if your roommate has pets — as well as being a conversation starter, you’ll want to find out if the pets will be moving into your apartment, too!
As soon as you have your roommate’s contact information, reach out and ask your roommate for his or her social media handles. This is a much better option than simply searching from your roommate’s profiles because you’ll come across as friendly rather than sneaky. It also means you’ll be able to see your roommate’s posts if they’re set to private.
2. Have a Video Chat
Social media only tells you about certain aspects of a person. To get to know your roommate on a personal level, you need to have a proper conversation. The easiest way to do this is with a video chat. If you stick to texting, there’s a risk you could misinterpret each other. Plus, it can be much more difficult to keep the conversation flowing. Video chat, however, will allow you to gain additional information from things like your roommate’s body language and speech patterns.
3. Set Some Ground Rules
A great way to use the time before you move in is to work out the ground rules for your living space. Voice any expectations you have and take the time to listen to your roommate’s thoughts. For instance, you’ll need to discuss the use of shared spaces, division of chores, expenses for things like cleaning supplies, and rules for having guests over (such as whether you’ll need to give each other notice). Working through any issues now will give you time to decide where you’re willing to compromise and come to an agreement, which will lead to a more seamless living situation.
You may prefer to live in your own apartment over student residence, but you may be unsure about how to find off-campus housing and roommates before you start college. The solution is to move into a student community. Foundry First offers luxury student housing in London, Ontario. Fanshawe College students receive their own room in a fully-furnished suite, with all utilities included in the rent. You’ll also have access to some great community amenities, such as a fitness center, study rooms, and a movie theater. Contact us to sign a lease.