If your student is heading to another city or state for college, there’s a good chance they’ll be living with a roommate. For some college dorms, roommates are the norm. Plus, if your student is living off-campus, having some housemates may be necessary to afford rent.
WHY HAVING QUESTIONS TO ASK A COLLEGE ROOMMATE IS IMPORTANT
First, students need to understand that, while the idea of asking a stranger questions can be daunting, it is critical. Why? Because having a comfortable home environment can make a world of difference.
WHAT KIND OF COLLEGE ROOMMATE QUESTIONS CAN YOU ASK?
It’s fine to ask questions about how they envision their ideal living environment and arrangements. This can include whether they intend to have people over frequently, view food as community property, and how clean they want to keep their space.
In most cases, if a question would go against the Fair Housing Act, it’s probably best to skip it. While roommate selection processes may not have to follow those rules, asking questions in those areas may be viewed as inappropriate. As a result, students should generally steer clear of those lines of inquiry.
QUESTIONS TO ASK A NEW ROOMMATE WHEN LIVING IN THE DORM Students in dorms usually share a fairly tight space. As a result, some of the questions that fit this scenario are specific to potentially living in the same room as another person. However, many are also a bit general, so they aren’t just for dorm room living.