It might be surprising that we are already more than half way through first semester! As a first year, you’ve probably made some great friends, started figuring out how to manage your classes and adjusted to res-life. But house-hunting season is just around the corner and it’s time to start considering your options.
You might be thinking “Wait… I have to start thinking about living arrangements for next year already?!” And while you don’t necessarily have to, it’s best to start thinking about it early if you, like most students, plan on living off campus next year. But besides actually looking for a place, which typically happens anywhere between December and early March, one of the first steps is establishing who you want to live with. You might be nervous that you won’t find people but there is really no need to worry! Everyone is looking for people to live with next year and most would be grateful that you would consider living with them. However finding housemates that all get along can be a little difficult, so here are some tips and tricks to figure out who you are going to be house-hunting with in the months to come!
The first thing to consider is how many other people you want to live with if living alone isn’t going to be an option. Do you prefer large groups, 5-7 people, or smaller groups, typically 2-4? Or is the number of people you live with not much of a concern to you? Establishing this beforehand can be helpful when choosing potential housemates.
Lots of students tend to live with friends they’ve made on their floor. This is great because you can get an idea of their living habits (since you guys do live in relatively close quarters) and deduce if the two of you would be compatible housemates. However don’t just limit yourself to people on your floor. Some people choose not to live with close friends and in this way expand their social circle. Friends from classes, clubs or frosh groups can make great housemates too. Try to remember that just because someone is a great friend, doesn’t always mean the two of you will be compatible living together. You might notice some traits and habits you didn’t before and it can lead to a strained relationship that would otherwise have been great if the two of you had not been living together.
Therefore a good thing to do is set aside some time to make a list of the things you can and cannot compromise. For this exercise, don’t consider house/apartment features such yet. Just consider lifestyle habits, things such as tidiness and budget. Even if you already have an idea of who you are going to be living with, it’s a good exercise to take part in and you might want to encourage potential future housemates to make their own lists too. You might be surprised by the differences (or similarities) of your lists! If there are some really drastic difference is your life-style habits then you might want to reconsider living with that particular person(s). However if there are only a few things that differ, try compromising on those particular items on your lists to see if you can come to an agreement. This can prevent some unexpected irritations next year when you realize you cannot stand the fact that so-and-so has a habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink for days on end.
When making your list consider:
· Number of people
· Budget; the maximum you will be willing to pay each month for rent/utilities
· Location; how far from campus are you willing to be? Is taking a bus every day not something you see yourself doing next year?
· Levels of cleanliness/tidiness; do you expect a routine where everyone has jobs related to keeping common spaces, such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and living rooms clean?
· Living arrangement; do you want to live in an all-female house? co-ed arrangement? or does it not matter to you?
· Social habits; do you mind your house/apartment hosting big parties, possibly with many people you don’t know? What is a reasonable noise level for you, given the time of day and day of the week?
These are all worth considering when choosing potential housemates and addressing them early can prevent problems later. Check out page 187 of your agenda for more tips and things to consider when picking housemates.
Here is a great outline for a roommate agreement if you want to have responsibilities in writing