The process of finding a roommate can be challenging. Here are some of the top questions that you should ask a potential roommate before you decide to live together!

Early bird or night owl?

You want to make sure that you have a similar schedule, or a way to work around it if you don't. It will avoid a lot of conflict if you both anticipate going to bed early and waking up early as opposed to having opposite schedules and potentially bothering each other.

How often do you have people over?

Will it bother you if your roommate has friends over 24/7? You’ll want to talk about how often you plan on having other people in your space and what is acceptable and not acceptable for you both.

Do they have a significant other that they plan on having stay over?

Maybe they will hope to have their boyfriend or girlfriend stay at your apartment for a weekend once a semester...or maybe you’ll end up feeling like your roommate's significant other is just an additional roommate (who doesn’t pay rent!). You’ll want to talk about the expectations of significant others and how often you both are comfortable with them being around.

How clean do you keep your space?

This is another good one to discuss in order to avoid conflict. If you live similar lifestyles, you will most likely have less to argue about. If you can’t stand to leave a dirty dish in the sink and your roommate refuses to do dishes...you may end up with an issue.

What are your hobbies?

Not only is this a good way to just get to know the person that you may be living with, but it is also beneficial to find out what kind of equipment they may need for their hobby. Some hobbies require little to no equipment, but some may require the storage of large items. Will they fit in your roommates room? Is there a chance that something will need to be stored in a common living area?

What is your schedule like?

It’s good to be on the same page about things like when you each have classes or work so that you know when you will or will not be in the apartment.

How much are you comfortable paying for rent/utilities?

This is an incredibly important one! If you are living with a roommate you need to make sure that the apartments that you are viewing are within the price range of all of the roommates involved. Find out the budget that each person has and make sure that you find an apartment that fits it!

What indoor temperature do you like the best?

You don’t want to spend a year being uncomfortable in your own apartment. Discuss what temperature you both generally like having the thermostat set to so that you can make sure that it is similar or so that you can find a way to compromise.

Do you have any food restrictions or allergies?

Even if you and your roommate don’t plan on sharing food, this is a good one to know! If your roommate is deathly allergic to peanuts and your favorite food is peanut butter...it may be better to room with other people.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

This is another one to hopefully help avoid conflict. Once you know the things that get on each other’s nerves more than anything else, you can try to make sure that you don’t push each other’s buttons accidentally!