Your College Preparation Cheat Sheet to...
Finding the Perfect Roommate. The space you'll be sharing is very small, so there's no place for drama. Land a dream companion with tips from the professionals. By Andrea Stanley. (I snagged these tips from Seventeen magazine's June and July 2016 issue.)
Step One: Figure Out Who You Are. Whether your roommate will be assigned or you're choosing your own, being able to describe yourself (beyond "Swiftie who's obsessed with Grey's Anatomy") is key.
◼Introvert. vs. ◼Extrovert.
(Alone time equals necessary.) or (Everyone is coming to study right?)
◼Morning Lark. vs. ◼Night Owl.
(Coffee before sunrise is your jam.) or (The moon is your spirit animal.)
◼Super-Chill. vs. ◼Not So Chill.
(Dorms are for sleeping.) or (Dorms are for parties!)
◼Into Boundaries. vs. ◼Into Sharing.
(Your mantra: My stuff is my stuff.) or (Your mantra: My stuff is everyone's stuff.)
◼Totally Single vs. ◼In a Relationship
(My life is all about hashtag friend goals right now.) or (My boyfriend/girlfriend will be a regular.)
Step Two: Land a Cool as Fuck Match.
Get out of the friend zone. Believe it or not, college housing experts say bunking with a best friend forever often doesn't work, so fill out your college's housing questionnaire. Some schools have stopped random matches, but you can still use their database to find a solid pairing. You can access it once you fill out your housing paperwork, says Carla Dennis, a director for housing at the University of Georgia. Or look on your class's social media page---- students often post requests there.
Dare to be . . . similar.
Yes, this is a time to expand your horizons, but too many differences can lead to conflicts, Dennis says. You and your roommate should share at least some basic habits and interests.
Don't be a super-stalker.
It's fine to poke around a potential one true pairings Instagram, but if you start trolling her friends' feeds, you risk taking things out of context. A better use of time? See how she interacts with her besties on her own accounts.
Write a Not-So-Basic Bio. Posting on Facebook? Just be real, says Maggie Burke of Likeable Media, a firm that improves social media presences.
➡Keep it to two short paragraphs, and make it about you---not your friends, family, or pet. Hint: Use some of the key words from Step One.
➡List only one social media handle---the one that best reflects you.
➡Have a friend read it to make sure it sounds like you. If you drop phrases you'd never use (like oh my god, that's so lit.), you'll sound like someone you're not.
Step Three: Be a Good Dormmate.
Make a game plan. Before you even step foot in your new digs, figure out who's gonna bring what. That way you don't end up with two mini fridges and no rugs, says Amanda Zuckerman, a cofounder of dorm-decor company Dormify.com.
Discuss the rules. Some schools require roommates to sign an agreement---think of it as a loose contract that lays out general guidelines, Dennis says. If yours doesn't, sit down and create one together. It's better to figure out now if it's cool for you to borrow her hair-straightener.
Have face time. Vague texts and passive-aggressive notes? No. Just no. If you want to be a dorm Dream Team, you need to communicate. Schedule a biweekly catch-up so a small issue, like where your orange juice went, doesn't kill the vibe between you two.
Step Four: Dealing With a Lame One. Living with someone new is hard! If you're having issues, ask . . .
Are you expecting too much? You may want a best friend forever you can talk to about all the things, but in reality, you just need someone respectful.
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Have you talked about it? It's easy to gossip and complain about the situation with everyone but your roommate. Address the issue directly instead.
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Have you tried everything? Maybe your roommate is actually a bad match. If that's the case, loop on your resident adviser, who can help mediate.
Seventeen.com/packlist your ultimate packing list.
Roommate Confessions: These real girls (and Dormify style advisers) have been there, done that---so you don't have to.
Nerves almost scared me roommate-less . . .
"If you want to share a space with someone, be bold and just ask. I found out that one of my classmates from my high school was going to the same university that I was, but I felt too embarrassed asking her if she wanted to share a room with me. Thankfully, she ended up asking me, and now we're best friends."-Katie, 20, Pittsburgh, PA.
That awkward silence, though . . .
"The first few weeks living with my roommate were painfully quiet----we were both a little shy. Then one day, we decided to rearrange our living space, and that finally broke the ice. An afternoon of problem solving helped us bond and allowed a real friendship to form."-Rae, 22, Houston, TX.
I thought she ghosted . . .
"During orientation, I met a potential roommate. I gave her my name, but she didn't write it down and later forgot how to spell it. When she tried to find me, she thought I'd given her a fake name---and when I didn't hear from her, I thought she didn't really want to room with me. Months later, we met again and realized the miscommunication. So if you meet someone you like, have her type her name into your phone."-Agnella, 21, Hopkinton, MA.
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