Finding a roommate for next semester

Whether you are living on campus or deciding to move off campus, finding the right set of roommates is an important decision. As you may have come to know, you will spend a lot of time with and around your roommate, so making sure you find someone you get along well with can make a huge difference. 

How to find a roommate

There are a variety of ways to find roommates, and there isn’t any harm in starting with your friends or current roommates. While a close friend might not always be the best option to live with, there are a lot of benefits. You likely communicate well with this person, probably know their personal habits somewhat well, and it might just make for an easier experience.

If you’re looking for a change in living arrangements or to find new roommates, there are many options for on-campus living found on ASU’s housing portal. There you'll find housing options as well as people seeking roommates for next semester that you can reach out to

If you’re looking for roommates to live with off campus, ASU Off-Campus Housing is a great place to begin your search. They offer tools to find roommates, housing and subleases near campus. You could also try a Facebook group focused on helping Arizona State University students find off-campus roommates, sublets and more.

If you are using these online tools to find off-campus roommates, it is important to exercise caution. Make sure to properly screen and interview potential roommates.

What to look for in a roommate

If you’re just beginning your roommate search, or already have a few potential roomies in mind, there are a few important questions you should consider: 

• What are the other person’s sleeping  and cleaning habits?

• Are your work and school schedules compatible?

• How will the household chores be divided?

• Does the person smoke, drink or use drugs?

• Does the person have any hobbies? (For example, if your roommate plays a musical instrument, when do they play? How will this work with your schedule?)

• Does this person have pets?

• Does this person have a significant other that will stay over?

• Does this person have friends that will spend a lot of time at your place?

• How does this person handle conflict and disagreements? 

While you may not always find the perfect fit, it is important to know what matters to you in a living situation. For example, I can handle a little bit of a mess, but I don’t do well with loud music later in the evening. Of these questions, I place a great deal of emphasis on trying to gauge how a person handles conflict. Think through how you like to live when considering a roommate, and make sure your lifestyle will work with theirs as well as the other way around. 

Learn more about finding housing, questions you should ask as a renter and how to budget for off-campus living before diving into your housing search.  

By: Zabric Kline, a senior majoring in accounting and an ASU Student Success coach