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100+ Great Questions To Ask Potential College Roommates

Choosing a college roommate is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your college experience. Sharing a living space is about as intimate as you can get with another person who isn’t your significant other. It’s essential to ask potential roommates the right questions to ensure you’re compatible and have an amazing time living together.

If you’re about to move in with a new roommate here’s a list of questions you can ask to help you make an informed decision and find a roommate who shares your values, interests, and lifestyle.

Questions To Ask Potential College Roommates

Funny Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

Finding a compatible college roommate is crucial for a successful college experience. Here are some important questions to ask potential college roommates to help you find the right match:

  • Have you ever shared a room before? How did you find that experience?
  • How would you describe your ideal roommate?
  • Would you mind telling me what your class schedule looks like?
    🎓 Suggested reading: Does Dropping A Class Affect Your GPA?
  • Which major are you pursuing?
  • Where are you in your class schedule? Do you have a lot of classes in the morning or at night?
  • Do you have a preference for the type of dorm building you would like to live in?
  • Does the thought of living in a dorm/roommate excite you or worry you?
  • In terms of your future roommate, what are your expectations?
  • Could you describe the ideal dorm room you would like to live in?
  • What made you choose this university?
  • If you were to define self-care and describe how you practice it, what would it look like?
  • What is the recommended frequency of chores in our space?
  • Before inviting someone over, how far ahead should we ask each other?
  • Which type of bed would you like: bunks, lofted beds, raised beds, or low beds?
  • Do you have a daily schedule that you would like to follow?
  • Are you a homebody or do you like going out a lot?
  • What kind of study method do you use?
  • Are you the type who will cook your own meals or just eat at a restaurant?
  • Is it likely that you will spend a lot of time studying in your dorm room?
  • Do you usually wake up or go to bed at the same time every day?
  • What temperature do you like your room to be?
  • What are your thoughts on drinking and smoking?
  • Would you like your dorm room to be decorated in a particular way?
  • Is there any club/organization on campus you plan to join?
  • Are you currently employed or planning to get a job?
  • Do you plan to bring a car to campus?
  • Are you allergic to any food or medication?
  • Do you have a preference for room temperature?
  • In your free time, what activities do you enjoy?
  • Are there any foods that you particularly enjoy?
  • Can you tell me about your study habits? Do you prefer to study in your room or elsewhere, such as a library?
  • During high school, were there any extracurricular activities you participated in?
  • How likely is it that you will impose a curfew on guests?
  • Do you drink coffee? If yes, are you planning on bringing your own coffee maker?
  • Are you planning on joining a sorority? 🤓 Suggested reading “What Is A Sorority Girl?”

Best Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

Best Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

Living with a roommate can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but finding the right one can be a challenge. To help you choose the best roommate for you, we’ve compiled a list of the best questions to ask a prospective roommate. These questions will help you gauge your compatibility and ensure a happy and harmonious living situation.

  • Is there anything you have already purchased for your dorm room?
  • Are you planning to stay all year long or just during the school year?
  • If we have items that we both use in the dorm, would you be open to splitting them?
  • Have you thought about establishing any rules before moving in?
  • In the morning, do you make your bed?
  • At what time would you like our lights to be turned off? What time do you usually go to bed?
  • Do you consider yourself a morning or a night person?
  • What is your hometown?
  • Will you be going home over the weekend and on holiday?
  • Would you be open to having overnight guests over?
  • Is music something you like to listen to out loud?
  • Do you have any preferences regarding how chores should be divided?
  • What will our morning routine look like? Is there a routine you follow in the morning?
  • What can I do to be a good roommate?
  • Are you interested in getting a TV?
  • What would our dorm room look like if you decorated it? Or would you prefer to customize your own personal space?
  • Are you more likely to split cooking/meal duties among two people or would you rather fend for yourself?
  • Do you have anything you are willing to share? Is there anything you don’t want to share?
  • What time of day do you take your showers?
  • Do you go to the gym, or do you exercise alone in your room?
  • What is your preferred frequency of cleaning your room?
  • How about a mini-fridge? Do you have one, or do you want one?
  • In terms of sharing, what are your policies?
  • Do you have any hobbies or things you like to do for fun?
  • Are there any dietary restrictions you need to follow?
  • How important is it to you to live in a clean and organized room?
  • When you sleep, do you use a nightlight, or do you sleep in complete darkness?
  • Are you a fan of going out for walks?
  • What snacks should we always keep in our room?
  • Do you have any food allergies?
  • How will you spend your time in the room? Do you have any indoor hobbies?
  • In the event of a conflict, how should we approach each other?
  • In what ways do you cope with stress?
  • Are you more likely to fall asleep with the TV on or the radio on?
  • How do you feel about chores? What is the best way to divide them?
  • Where do you fit on the cleanliness spectrum? Are you a super messy person, a cleanliness freak, or somewhere in the middle?

🤓 You might be interested in reading “Do Colleges Have Dress Codes? What To Wear To Class, Interviews & Parties!”

Deep Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

Deep Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

These deep questions are great to find out your future roomie’s communication style as well as how they would react to confrontational people or situations. 

  • How would you describe your personality? Are you introverted or extroverted?
  • How will you address a problem if you have one?
  • What made you decide to attend this school?
  • When it comes to college life, what is your biggest concern?
  • What type of person are you? Do you have a tendency toward confrontation or passive-aggressive behavior?
  • Is there anything you can’t live without?
  • Do you have any pet peeves?
  • When it comes to sleeping, are you a night owl or a morning person?
  • Is there a career you would like to pursue?
  • How good are you at handling money?
  • Do you have a favorite item that you spend most of your money on?
  • What would be your dream destination if you could travel anywhere in the world?
  • Who is the most important person in your life?
  • When it comes to treating yourself, what do you consistently buy?
  • Is there a fun fact about you that you would like to share?
  • How is your relationship with your family?
  • Will you feel homesick while you’re away?
  • Is there someone who inspires you?
  • Do you have any insecurities?
  • How important is faith to you?
  • What gives you peace?
  • What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

🎓 Suggested reading: Essential Grocery List For College Students

Watch this great video on questions to ask your roommate before move-in day:

Funny Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

Although they might seem funny, these are still essential questions to ask a roommate in college. 

  • Is there anything you are secretly good at?
  • Can you tell me about your most useless talent?
  • Do you snore? Is snoring something that will disturb your sleep?
  • Do you fart? Is farting a big deal to you?
  • Are you sleeping with the TV on?
  • Do you have a favorite candy?
  • If you could invite a celebrity to our room, who would it be and why?
  • Do you have a favorite color?
  • What’s the most surprising thing about you?
  • Can you tell me about the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
  • Do you have a favorite children’s book?
  • In the unlikely event that you became famous, what would you be famous for?
  • What would you choose as your superpower if you could?
  • If you were a dessert, what would you be?
  • When was the last time you did something embarrassing?
  • Which item on your bucket list is the most important to you?
Funny Questions To Ask A Potential Roommate

🤓 You might also enjoy reading this list of favorite things questions to ask your friends.

How To Ask Someone To Be Your Roommate

The formal way to ask someone to be your roommate is by doing it in person. But you can casually reach out through text messages, emails, messaging apps, or social media. Make sure to give a potential roommate plenty of time to think about and consider your offer, and get in touch with him or her before school begins.

1. Let them know that you’re looking for a roommate.

2. Explain what kind of roommate you’re looking for. If they have a good understanding of your living habits and personality type, they might see you as the ideal college roommate before you’ve even asked them.

3. Give them and yourself plenty of time to make the decision to move into a room together.

4. Understand that nobody is perfect and that you will have to compromise on some things.

5. Don’t be upset if they decline. Even though they might agree that you will be compatible roommates, they might have already made other plans or have a closer friend that they prefer. 

How To Get To Know Your Roommate

  • Follow each other on social media
  • Reach out and have an open communication
  • Make rules and discuss them
  • Join an organization or school club together
  • Bond over cooking and have meals together
  • Do grocery shopping together
  • Occasionally organize a movie or game night
  • Have meaningful conversations over meals or coffee
  • Make sure to spend some time together outside your dorm

How To Get To Know Your Roommate Over Text

  • Start the conversation by introducing yourself
  • Get started with a friendly hello and a little bit about yourself. Simple introductions will get you talking in no time.
  • Discuss each other’s college plans
  • By doing this, you can find out whether you both share a hobby, a club, a major, or a career path in the future. By knowing how often they will be in your dorm room, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect
  • Discuss dorm room concerns
  • It is a good idea to talk about your dorm needs before the school year starts.
  • Organize a meet-up
  • The purpose of this is to get to know them better. The body language, mannerisms, and social skills of your roommate can reveal a lot about them.

What do you say to a potential college roommate?

To find a suitable college roommate, you’ll need to get to know them more deeply. Your conversation covers sleep schedules, study patterns, social lifestyles, and expectations, as well as whether the roommate will be a future close friend or just someone you will coexist with. Make sure you ask all the questions.

How do I talk to my college roommate?

Breaking the ice is the best way to begin. Asking questions and listening to the answers are the keys to creating a great conversation. Ask a few general questions as a starting point. Then you can explore more mutual likes and dislikes by bringing up a more interesting topic.

Are college roommates random?

Your school will determine how it works. If your university matches you with a random roommate, it is more likely that this will occur than if you make friends through social media and/or at orientation and meet a possible roommate.

If your college doesn’t match you then you can meet people at orientation or use a college room finder like Roomsurf to help match you.