Roommate Guide

Before selecting your roommate via the housing portal, you’ll want to think about your ideal living situation and how your roommate can help you reach that goal—and vice versa.

To help you through this process, here are some tips for choosing a roommate, as well as setting the foundation for a great, supportive residential experience.

Before deciding to room with someone on campus, take time to learn about one another and whether you think you’d make good roommates. Below are some things you might want to discuss.

• Cleanliness: Do you prefer a spotless room? Tidy but lived-in? Are you fine as long as their mess stays on their side of the room?
• Study environment: Do you need total quiet or do you prefer some background noise? At what time do you study? Will it be hard for you to sleep if your roommate studies at night?
• Possessions and sharing: Are you usually ok with someone borrowing things from you? Are there things you aren’t willing to share?
• Phone use: Do you talk on the phone a lot? For how long? What are your privacy needs for phone calls?
• TV/music: When do you watch TV? Do you watch on a TV or on your laptop/phone? What music do you listen to? Stereo or headphones?
• Communication style: How do you respond to stress? What do you need when you are upset? Are you comfortable with disagreement? How do you approach someone when you disagree with them?
• Socializing: How often do you go out? Will you be around on weekends? What do you like to do for fun?
• Guests and visitors: Will you have overnight guests? How comfortable are you with your roommate having guests overnight? When? How often?
• Sleeping: When do you go to sleep? When do you start your morning? Are you a light or heavy sleeper? What could a roommate do to keep you from getting a good night’s sleep?
• Room temperature: Do you like your room warmer or cooler? Do you like to keep a window open?
• Safety and security: What do you need to talk about to make sure you and your things are safe and secure? Are you uncomfortable with guests in your room when you’re not there? How will you keep your belongings secure?

First, get in touch! Send them an email, exchange numbers and talk/text on the phone. If you need help breaking the ice, you might ask:

• Where are you from? What’s your hometown like?
• Why did you come to RISD?
• What do you think you want to study here?
• What activities did you do in high school? What do you want to do while you’re here?
• How well do you know Providence? Have you been here before?
• What are you looking forward to?

Take some time to get to know each other. It doesn’t need to be deep. You’ll learn more about one another in time.

Talk about boundaries. What are your absolute musts/must nots (cleanliness, noise, etc.)?

Check in with one another as you get closer to move-in day, as much or as little as you need to. Keep an open mind, don’t stress or panic, and be yourself!