Whether you are an incoming Freshman living with a random roommate or you just moved into a new apartment with your friends, it’s important to really know the people you are living with. Even if your roommate is your best friend, that doesn’t mean you know if they are a morning or night showerer and how they prefer to load the dishwasher. Here are some ways to get to know your random roommate who you have been DMing on Instagram or the person you thought you knew a lot about.Â
Get past the boring questions firstÂ
This might seem like the most obvious thing to do, but to really know a person, you want to know their basics. Where is their hometown, what’s their major, are they a morning or night person, what side of the room do they want, what do they do for fun and other basic questions along those lines. You want to first build a foundation; these basic questions can lead to deeper conversations. You may even find out you have more in common than you think.Â
Ask the more personal questionsÂ
At the end of the day, you are living with this roommate. It is okay to ask personal questions if both of the parties are comfortable. Some good questions to start with are: Have you ever shared a room before? Do you have any siblings? How do you handle shared chores? Do you prefer a night in or having friends over often? What are your rules for overnight guests? How do you prefer to talk about a problem if one of us gets upset? Questions like these set clear boundaries to prevent future issues. Â
Set up a hangout outside of your shared spaceÂ
If possible, try to make plans before you start living together. It is important to see how a person is out in public before sharing a space together. If that’s not possible before, try to set something up the first week you are living together. Some good ideas are going to a coffee shop, a school sports game, getting something to eat, tanning outside, or anything that gets you comfortable with that person. It is important to learn what the person is like inside your shared space and how they are as a person in general.