5 Essential Tips for Roommates Sharing Off-Campus Housing

by Kevin Smith Author

When living in off-campus college housing, you might find roommates who become lifelong friends or ones who become the horror stories you talk about for a lifetime. While there are no guarantees, you can take a few steps that make living with a roommate a better experience. In fact, our rental properties make great student homes for you and your roommates. Here are five important things to think about regarding roommates.

#1 Living with Friends or Strangers

This is a tricky one because there is no single answer. Some roommate arrangements have strengthened friendships, while others have ended them. Sometimes too much togetherness doesn’t work out, even for the best of friends. On the other hand, you at least have some idea about your compatibility with a friend. Moving in with a stranger is more of an unknown. The result of that can be a new friendship or an uncomfortable living situation. There is no easy answer. You need to be honest with yourself about how you feel about living with friends or strangers.

#2 Who Pays for What

You should have a talk about who pays for various household expenses. In short, you need to set some rules. Now that may sound startling to you because getting away from rules has been your goal. Now that you’re living independently of your parents and on-campus dormitories, you’d like a taste of freedom, not rules. But the truth is that a few rules will make your life with a roommate easier, and at least you’re the one setting these rules. Establishing who pays for expenses will avoid misunderstandings at a later date.

#3 Food Issues

Is food community property or does it belong to a specific person? That’s a need-to-know understanding between roommates. Many a roommate relationship has been strained due to a raid on the refrigerator. You might even discuss if you eat together or separately. That often depends on if one person likes to cook while the other doesn’t.

#4 Cleaning Duties

Few things cause divisions more than issues of cleaning and straightening up. Some people are exceptionally tidy, while others can live with a little mess. You need to be honest about yourself with your roommate and discuss how to share cleaning duties.

#5 Guests Over to Visit

Are you comfortable with visitors anytime, or do you want to set some limits? For students wanting some quiet time to study or sleep, this question is good to resolve early in the roommate partnership. Different expectations about guests can cause problems in the living arrangement.

Make Your College Roommate Experience Positive

Our rental properties are perfect for roommates going to college. These off-campus properties are maintained with the needs of college students in mind. Your college home is one of the things that will make your college years memorable ones.