Perhaps you have experienced sharing your bathroom with siblings, or maybe this is the first time you’ve shared a living space with someone. Roommates can be one of the biggest challenges of college experience and it can be one of the most rewarding.
Start by getting your roommate’s contact information.
Check with your college if they haven’t already provided this information.
Then, begin with Facebook or My space. See what basic information you can derive from these sources.
Next step, pick up your cell and give them a call.
Remember: have empathy. Put yourself in their shoes. You are both nervous and excited. Use these common feelings to connect. Ask questions. You know what type of living ‘style’ you are comfortable with.
Ask Questions:
- Ask your roommate what their vision for your dorm is?
- How much time do they expect to spend keeping it looking like that?
- Ask questions which will lead your roommate into revealing expectations.
- You are looking for as much balance as each of you can find.
Coping with Stress:
College life can be stressful. You might want to find out if your roommate finds partying an outlet for stress. You might be an early bird and your roommate a night owl. Knowing these personality traits prior to sharing your space will help each of you to build strategies to better live with one another.
Take notes:
You probably won’t solve all these issues in a single phone call, so check-in and schedule more calls. You will certainly come up with more questions, which you can address in your next call.
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