Tips and tricks: roommates
NEWS
Are you trying to find a new roommate? Here are a few tips and tricks to finding the perfect house mate.
WHO SHALL IT BE?
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
-UHDS recommends not rooming with a best friend. Although it may be a great time to hang out with them, living with them can likely be a different story.
-Have a roommate discussion about location. Talk about living on or off campus and what area to live in.
-Use choosing a roommate as an opportunity to branch out and meet new people. Consider rooming with someone from a different state or country.
-Plan in advance who will buy what necessities. Determine who will be providing furniture, appliances and other housing needs. Coordinate decorations to fit everyone’s tastes.
ROOMMATE PROFILE
MONEY TALKS
-Take advantage of the roommate profile on MyUHDS— take time to write well-rounded answers. A more complete profile will give a better chance of matching with a more compatible roommate.
-Having a discussion about finances before moving in with someone can help eliminate stress. Talk about rent, utilities and other expenses prior to signing a lease or contract.
-Don’t immediately settle for the first roommate match. Chat with multiple people to find the best fit.
MAKE AN AGREEMENT -Roommate agreements are a mandatory requirement for those living in the residence halls, but they can be helpful for off-campus housing too. -Include conflict resolution in a roommate agreement—how does each roommate prefer to address problems? Setting a protocol before problems arise can prevent them from occurring later.
See an example roommate agreement on page 22
-Read through the lease or contract thoroughly to recognize tenant responsibilities. Information compiled by Erica Baldwin, News Contributor, from University Housing and Dining Services, and the Corvallis Living Guide.
Oregon State University students give advice about roommates “If someone isn’t pulling their weight, just talk to them about it. Don’t keep things bottled up.” Nick Palka Second-year University Exploratory Studies
“When you’re looking for a roommate don’t be afraid to send out a lot of emails to a lot of different people. You’re never really sure who’s gonna be (available). You never know if you’re going to strike gold with somebody. You might find a really good connection with someone you didn’t even really think was gonna be a good connection.” William Stone Third-year New Media Communications
“If you’re going to have a roommate, be very straight at the very beginning… find someone that has like a similar mind to you, someone that shares your values when it comes to the house or apartment.” Breonna Keller-Robbins Second-year Liberal Studies
“I have really awesome roommates because we all clean up after each other and we’re very respectful of our house. We understand each other’s boundaries. Also my roommates are really on top of their homework, so that motivates me to get mine done as well. Definitely try to room with your friends. It makes a really good experience.” Claire Cahill Second-year Computer Science
WEEK OF MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 21