Five necessary conversations you need to have with your future roommate

As the summer begins, incoming college freshman will soon receive a wealth of information regarding on-campus housing, opportunities within their chosen major, and extracurricular activities they can enthusiastically join. One of the most sought after pieces of information is the roommate reveal, where students will see who they will be living with for the next year. Although it is easy to get caught up in the initial enthusiasm and appeal of living with a stranger, there are necessary conversations that you need to have with your potential roommate(s). Check out what you need to address below.

1. The lover talk

Nothing is more frustrating than being “sexiled,” a.k.a unable to enter your dormitory because your roommate is with their significant other. Before you sign the roommate contract, it is necessary to discuss the extent of how comfortable you both feel with their significant other in your room. Address how often their significant other can come over or stay the night, a system to warn each other when they need alone time, and boundaries that each roommate should respect. Although it’s an awkward conversation, you’ll find yourself thanking each other later.

2. The party talk

One of the best things about living in a residence hall is the vast array of personalities that you will encounter. Whether you love to party or would rather stay at home, it’s important to establish boundaries between the two. Emphasize that drinking is not allowed in the dorm, as well as smoking of any sort. If you or your roommate is found with either, both of you will be fined and reported -which you don’t want to happen! You want to have a fun first year of college without the worry of getting in trouble for things that do not belong in the residence hall.

3. The sleep talk

I’m the first to admit that I have a strange sleeping schedule. Although I prefer sleeping later in the night, my roommates like to go to bed early. Your roommate(s) could be either an early bird or a night owl, so it’s vital to talk about when you all try to fall asleep around, and work around their own needs. For example, although I like to study around 2-3 AM because that’s when I feel the most awake, my roommates are fast asleep. To accommodate, I study in our residence hall’s study room, so it’s not infringing on their ability to catch some ZZZ’s.

4. The messy talk

When you first move into your residence hall, you probably will fill out an evaluation of what your room looks like and the condition of your provided furniture. This is done intentionally -as any new spills and messes will be your financial responsibility to fix. Thus, it is necessary (and difficult) to talk about what will happen if someone makes a mess, set clear guidelines for personal space and cleanliness, and to be transparent about what your own clean pet peeves are. Save yourself the expensive fee by sitting down with your roommates to talk about this issue.

5. The summer talk

Your first year of college will fly by before you know it! Thus, it is important to talk to your roommate(s) about potential options for the summer and the school year ahead. Do you want to live together again in an apartment or house, or do you want to branch out and live with other people? To be fair and to get the best housing options possible, it’s best to have this conversation in December or January, when discussions about housing options and leases begin.

Although these conversations might seem stressful, they are pivotal towards making the most out of your first-year dormitory experience. What are some difficult talks you’ve had with your roommate(s)? Let us know in the comments below!