How does roommate matching work?

Many apartments offer individual leases, which allow you to live with roommates without having to worry about the complicated matter of splitting the rent and utilities. This is a less expensive option than living alone and creates an opportunity to make live in friends. However,not everyone has the option of hand picking their roommates. If you don’t already have a roommate picked out you, like most college students, will find yourself needing roommate matching. But, you are probably wondering, how apartment communities decide who moves in with whom? Having a bad roommate can ruin your entire year. College is hard enough without having to come home a roommate you can’t stand. With this in mind, many apartment communities will do their best to put people together that have similar lifestyles.

How do the apartment communities know if you and another tenant have similar lifestyles? Once you have decided on an apartment and signed your lease you are given a survey. This survey asks you key questions about your lifestyle and generally leave a space for comments where you can express any unique corks about yourself and your pet peeves. Questions will be regarding this such as your study habits, what time you like to go to bed, and the level of cleanliness you maintain. It is important that you fill out this survey accurately and honestly. Don’t answer it thinking of the person you want to be. Really reflect on yourself and how you really live. If you area little on the messier side, than be honest about it. There are plenty of people who live the same way as you, not everyone is a clean freak. If you know you are a night owl, than indicate that on your survey. You don’t want someone asking you to turn down the tv every time you stay up past 10 o’clock. If you are not honest, you could end up living with a roommate who is really not compatible with you or your lifestyle.

However, if you have the unfortunate luck of ending up with a roommate you don’t particularly care for remember this is college and is a growing experience. Finding common ground can really build your communication skills. Talk you your roommate about solutions rather than arguing about a problem. For instance, maybe you like to study in a quiet area but your roommate likes to study with music blasting. Instead of it turning into WWIII in your apartment, talk it out. Maybe you all take turns studying in the house and the library. This way each person gets to enjoy studying in their apartment in a way that is enjoyable to them without intruding on the other’s study time. By compromising and making the extra effort, you could make your apartment and college experience better for you and your roommate. You may even make a friend. Alternatively, if there are no solutions for you and your roommate, a transfer request can be made.

These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of SwampRentals.com or any of our advertising partners.