One of the most important decisions you’ll make all year is choosing a college apartment roommate. Pick the wrong person (or people) to live with and you’ll spend the next nine months moving their dirty dishes out of the sink or asking them to turn down their music. Pick the right person (or people), and your college experience will be amazing. When it comes to choosing a college apartment roommate, it helps to dig deeper, so that you end up living with a person you really mesh with.

Tips for Choosing a College Apartment Roommate

Say “No” To Living with Best FriendsWhen you’re choosing a college apartment roommate, picking your bestie makes the most sense, right? Not really. While you and your best friend might get along great when you live separately, you might not get along so well when you share a living space. It’s best not to test the waters, as countless best friend relationships have ended in disaster when people decided to move in together. Not living with your best buds can work in your favor, too, as you’ll have somewhere else to go when you need to get out of your apartment, or they’ll have somewhere to go when they need a break from their place.

Talk About Personal Preferences Right AwayWhether you’re considering living with an acquaintance or with someone you just met online, it’s best to get the personal details out in the open first. You might not know this person very well yet, but you still want to know what his or her approach to cleaning up or doing dishes is, whether he or she has or wants a pet, and what his or her thoughts are on sharing or borrowing stuff. If you’re allergic to cats, for example, you don’t want to agree to live with someone only to find out that he or she plans on bringing a cat into your new place.

Determine Your Goals for the ApartmentIt might sound weird to think of your apartment having goals, but take a few minutes to think about what you want from your living space. You might envision a place where you can relax and unwind, have a meal with friends, or get your studying done. Share those goals with any potential roommate. It might be that he or she wants a place to party, and that just won’t work for you.

When Choosing a College Apartment Roommate Talk About MoneyIf you’re living with someone for the first time, it’s a good idea to pick a place that lets you have your own leases. That way, if your roommate flakes on the rent, you’re not responsible for his or her share. Even if you have your own leases, it helps to have a money chat with a potential roommate before you decide to live together. You don’t want to live with someone who’s going to constantly ask you to borrow cash or someone who’s going to eat all your food and not chip in. It’s awkward, sure, but you want to find out how your potential roommates support themselves and if they’ll be able to pay their way.

Once you’ve got a handle on choosing a college apartment roommate, it’s time to start seeing what apartments are available. Get a jump on the next school year by calling to schedule a tour of The Mark today.