Roommates: some of us love them, some of us hate them. No matter where you stand, you’ve probably had—or will have—them. But what happens when you’re left searching for an extra roommate for that cheap rental home with four huge bedrooms down the road from campus? Or that student apartment with plenty of amenities is available to rent, but you can’t find anyone willing to go in on it with you?
Well, there are actually plenty of ways to find a roommate for your Athens apartment. Tons of other students find themselves in the same situation year in and year out. In some cases, friends have already banded together to go in on one of the best apartments in the area for students, and sometimes your friends just aren’t interested in living together. And that’s okay—friends don’t always make the best roommates. Here’s how to find a roommate without begging one of your best friends to move in with you.
Ask Around and See Who’s Looking
We just said you won’t have to beg your friends to move into that crazy affordable two-bedroom home by campus with you, but we never said anything about never roping them into your hunt, period. Ask around. Chances are, your friends and acquaintances might know someone who’s looking for a roommate too. Ohio University’s campus is a huge place, and there might be a friend of a friend or a friend’s classmate who are looking for roommates themselves. Suddenly, the prospect of making that apartment near campus work just got a lot more likely.
Once you get a lead on a roommate, follow up on it. As the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers. Look into any referral from friends and acquaintances—you never know who will actually end up being a perfect match for co-habiting together. Plus, if it’s someone your friends know, they’re probably not too bad of a person.
Make Use of Social Media and Local Resources
Unsurprisingly, social media remains a surefire way to find roommates for that yarded rental on East State Street or for that humongous home for rent with five bedrooms. Facebook remains one of the best social media sites to use when looking for specific online groups to join. There’s bound to be groups dedicated to off-campus rentals for Ohio University students where someone could post an ad looking for a roommate. Of course, you’ll want to properly vet anyone you find online before signing a binding contract that you’ll live together for the next year.
There are even dedicated roommate-finding apps. Yep, there’s an app for that. Roomster is one of the most popular apps to use to find roommates because of its ability to pair you up with people who closely match your interests and lifestyles. The app allows you to search based on hobbies, lifestyle preferences, and other criteria to find your roommate match. Roomster and similar apps save you some legwork in figuring out whether you have any commonalities and shared interests with potential roommates. After all, you’re a lot more likely to have a good experience renting a student home across the street from campus with someone if you have things in common.
If you want to do things the semi-old fashioned way, there are plenty of resources through Ohio University that help out with both on and off-campus living. And that includes groups dedicated to all things off-campus living like subletting and finding roommates. Even if no one else on the groups is actively searching for roommates for student housing down the road from the university, they might know someone who is.
Make Sure to Vet Potential Roommates
It’s hard to be all in on signing a lease with someone you hardly know. Take time to screen your potential roommates—you’ll be glad you did. While that enigma of a person you’re thinking about renting that high-end student home with likely doesn’t have any malicious intentions, they also might not be the best fit for your roommate.
Depending on where you met them, you might want to ask them some questions to get to know them better. Ask questions about the following topics to get a better feel if they’re your roomie match made in heaven:
- Schedule – what’s their typical schedule like? Does it mesh well with yours?
- Sleep schedule – do they like to stay up until the early hours of the morning?
- Cleanliness – how often do they clean? What are their baseline cleanliness standards?
- Guests – how often do they have guests over? Are they comfortable with you having guests?
- Conflict resolution – how do they like to resolve conflict?
- Finances – can they split bills and rent reliably?
- Smoking and drinking – Do they smoke and/or drink?
- Hobbies and interests – are there any common interests you share?
- Media consumption – what sort of music and shows do they like?
Ultimately, trust your gut instincts. If you have that voice in the back of your head saying the person you’re talking to isn’t going to be a good fit for a roommate, it’s wise to listen to it.
Don’t leave the vetting process to happen solely over messages on social media and apps. Make a point to meet up in person or schedule a video chat. You’re likely to get a way better feel about someone if you’re able to talk with them face-to-face. You can’t discern personality and compatibility entirely over text. Do that, and you risk creating a nightmare roommate scenario in that rental home that’s perfect for college students.
With a little effort and consideration, you can find a roommate who will enhance your college experience and create lasting memories that you can look back on fondly.