Handy Tips for new Flat Mates

Sharing a flat with can be a very fun and liberating experience – especially if you have just moved out of the family home. It’s a great way of making friends and learning new ideas and experiences, all of which are great for your personal development and mental health, which in turn strengthen your ability to learn and study. A happy student is a successful student! However, there is one thing above all else that students must do in order to make sure their flat sharing experience is positive. Students need to communicate, ask questions and work out ground rules.

Roommate Checklist (based on checklist in the Canadian publication Transitions Student Reality Check)

Will they share household chores? Will you cook together or share groceries? What are their habits around work, study & sleeping schedules? What are their preferences around kitchen duties (either share or not)? How do they feel about playing music, TV? Do they like to host parties? If so, discuss policies about advance notification, limits, etc? Are they a morning person or a night owl? Do they smoke, toke or drink alcohol. If so, how much? Will they have friends staying overnight? Do they have a job and what kind of work do they do? Have they lived on their own before or had roommates? What was that experience like? How will you split utilities, phone and cable bills along with other living costs?

- Posted by Rab