Finding a normal roommate is already hard enough. So then how to find the perfect roommate? The one that won’t bother you every now and then. Read this guide and you might find your answer to that.
No matter where you live, what is your gender is or what you study: every student has a story to tell about sharing an apartment with random people. Usually you don’t really have anything in common with them, except the need to find an affordable room (or something which can be considered as a room :D) and a bed to sleep in. This is where the problems start to come: how to deal with strangers? What to share and what not? How to find a good roommate? I have been far away from my parents since when I was 18; getting old far from my hometown is making me wise (?! maybe just somewhat experienced). This is why I will share with you my thoughts.
Ask your friends
Having good references is always a good idea. How did you find him/her? Try to find your roommate by asking the people you know before. Maybe they could find someone for you! A friend of a friend is still better then a perfect stranger.
Habits
What do they like to do? Do they have hobbies? Ask them for hobbies and habits, or things they usually do in their spare time: you will have the possibility of getting to know them better. In this sense, it could be a good idea to ask them to share their social network accounts with you (Thought N.3). You don’t want weird surprises..
Ask for his/her Facebook or LinkedIn
Some wise people say “you can tell what somebody is like by the company they keep”. Well, it’s always better to know the person who’s going to share a kitchen, bathroom, and plenty of things with you (Look back at thought N.1). This is why it’s always a good idea to ask people to share their Facebook or LinkedIn profiles with you. With them it will be easier for you to picture their personality traits and figure out whether you like them or not.
Does he/she inspire confidence?
Okay, this one could sound superficial. I know appearances can be deceiving, but sometimes you can instinctively know you couldn’t trust someone. So, don’t use this as a ‘perfect’ rule, but consider the possibility that if you instinctively don’t like someone, you could be right.
Contract Length
Ask them if they would like to sign the contract with the owner of the apartment. This will protect you from people not paying the bills or sharing common costs. Secondly, try to find people willing to stay longer: this could help you in getting used to their behaviour and habits without changing every 4-6 months.
Apartment Rules
Set some rules and tell them to him/her the first time you meet. Does he/she like to clean? Is he/she willing to share things? If yes, which things? To avoid future misunderstandings – or, even worse, fights – it’s always better to agree on some basic rules, which are essential for a positive and friendly atmosphere in the apartment.
If you are persistent enough and have the ability to say ‘No’ million times you will find the perfect roommate!
What about you? Do you have any experience or story to share?
Tell us here!
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