Consider lifestyles, must-haves in search for the right roomie

Sally Major. Claire Convis | Washtenaw Voice

By Claire Convis
Staff Writer

It’s been said that a roommate is someone who can make or break your college experience.

Whether you’re sharing a house, an apartment or a room, there are ways to help roomies survive the school year together, with their sanity and relationship intact.

Sally Major, a 22-year-old nursing student at WCC, met four of her roommates through a student organization.

“Common interests and a common lifestyle are really important when you’re living with somebody,” said Major. “It really eliminates factors that can cause arguments.”

Christina Taylor, who is an 18-year-old student studying social work at WCC, mentioned the financial perks of living with a roommate.

“I’m not one to live with people, but it’s cheaper,” said Taylor. “Rent, bills, utilities…they’re expensive. So it’s a good money-saver… if you can find someone who is compatible.”

When it comes to finding a place to live, it helps to have an idea of what features and needs are non-negotiable for you and what you’re be willing to compromise about ahead of time: How far are you willing to commute to school? What is your price range? What specific features are you hoping to have in a home?

“I’ve never been somebody who really cares about having ‘the extras,’ but it’s important to me to be safe,” said Major. “Be with people that you feel comfortable with.”

Social media can be a useful way of reaching out and finding people in your circle who are looking for someone to room with.

Websites such as Roomster can help college students find a place to live or a person to live with. Craigslist, Apartments.com and other similar sites allow users to search for units based on price range, features and location.

When considering who to room with, think about the kind of relationship you want to have with your roommate; maybe you want somebody whom you can join for workouts, academic studies or carpool with to school. Maybe you need someone who can let the dog out when you’re not home, or maybe you don’t mind if you only seen your roommate in passing.

The key is to make sure that your different lifestyles aren’t conflicting to the point where a fight breaks out.

“If you’re not into partying, then you don’t want somebody who’s going to have 20 people over,” said Major.

Major mentioned that it is helpful to live with someone who is in the same stage of life as you. She said that she and her roommates enjoy living together, but also appreciate having some independence.

“There’s the freedom of doing your own thing, and also a productiveness that comes from being on your own that I definitely love,” Major said.

Major said cooking a communal dinner or ordering take-out together is one of the ways she and her roommates connect with each other.

“There’s something really awesome about just sitting down and talking about your day,” Major said. Going on a walk, biking, doing homework or watching Netflix together can all be fun ways to connect with your roomie.

A fun, unique habit that Major and her group of roommates have is writing little notes for each other and leaving them around the apartment. Whether it was a quick ‘Thank you for doing the dishes,’ or a ‘You look great today!’

Major said it’s important the space feels like home for everyone.

“You’re going to have different cleaning standards,” said Taylor. She added that cleaning or a lack of cleaning can often cause roommate disputes.

Establishing a chore schedule might help avoid both arguments and a messy living space.

“Originally we had a system, but as the semester wore on, sometimes people wouldn’t get to their jobs,” Major said. “But the big thing is not getting mad at each other for messing up, because we all mess up.”