Finding a place to live when starting college can be a fun yet stressful experience, especially if you’re going somewhere completely different. The journey starts with finding the perfect apartment or dorm. After you’ve finally laid eyes on the place you’ll be calling home, it’s time to decide who will be calling that place home with you. For most of us, living in a studio is a bit pricey, so we often look to roommate matching to even out the difference. Although roommate matching can be a great way to meet new friends, sometimes it doesn’t work out exactly how we envisioned. Here are a few tips to consider when trying to find a roommate via roommate matching:
Be clear
When filling out a roommate matching form, make it clear in terms of what you want. If you’re the type of person that stays in a lot and needs at least 8 hours of sleep to function, make that clear. There’s nothing worse than being matched with someone who stays up at all hours of the night and comes in at 3 a.m. with his or her friends trampling around like a herd of elephants. If you want someone who is quieter than a mouse, be sure to stress that to the staff at your new apartment complex.
Be understanding
When getting to know a random roommate, it’s important not to jump the gun too early. If you see a constant trend of dishes being left in the sink that aren’t yours, clean them a few times but then politely tell your roommate you cleaned his or her dishes. Usually they will get the point and apologize for being “too busy,” or “completely forgetting about them.” We all have those moments, so don’t freak out… yet.
Make compromises
Arguments with roomies shouldn’t be like World War III. If there’s a problem, fix it. Don’t leave passive agressive notes scattered across the house expressing your anger. Be an adult, and sort things out. Sometimes it’s hard to see eye-to-eye on certain issues, but making compromises can be the best way to reach an agreement.
Try to get along
The keyword is: “try.” Even though Barney said, “we’re a happy family,” that doesn’t necessarily always have to be the case. The best bet to keeping the peace in the household is by being civil to one another. If you start to dislike your roommate, keep it to yourself, avoid common areas and do your best to put on a fake smile.
Some random roommates just plain suck, but then there’s those roommates you meet and become lifelong friends with. Either way, roommate matching can be sticky! So get ready for what’s in store for the next chapter of college living. Good Luck!