Roommate Agreement Discussion & Questions

For many students, sharing a room with another person is a new experience while managing this relationship can be challenging for all students. And while frustrations will inevitably occur throughout the year, setting the groundwork upfront can make resolving conflict a lot easier.

Below are sample questions that appear on the Roommate Agreement Form. Each semester, roommates are asked to sit down together and talk about what expectations he/she has for the room and their roommate. These candid conversations don't need to be stressful as each person living in a room has the right to have their needs met and their concerns heard. However, RAs can help facilitate this conversation should a resident feel like his/her voice isn't being heard.

Common and Personal Items

• What items are you comfortable sharing?
• What would you prefer to not have borrowed or used? (computer, stereo, television, furniture, appliances, clothes, food, etc.)

The Room Itself

• Do you normally keep your room neat or disorganized?
• How will you divide basic housekeeping duties? (i.e., vacuuming/sweeping, emptying trash, dusting, etc.)
• When should the door to the room be locked?

Studying

• What time do you typically study?
• How much noise can you tolerate while studying? (i.e., computer, television, radio, people talking, etc.)

Sleeping

• What time do you prefer to go to bed? To get up?
• How many hours of sleep do you want each night?
• Can you sleep with the light on? Can you sleep when there is noise?

Guests

• Are there times when you would prefer guests of either gender not be in any rooms in your room? Are there specific times you are uncomfortable with guests of the opposite gender visiting?
• How will you communicate your need for privacy or quiet time when your roommate has guests visiting?
• Should there be times when you or your roommate have privacy in the room to entertain? How will you schedule those times?

Telephone/Texting

• What time do you feel is too early or too late to make or receive phone calls/text messaging in the room?

Additional Concerns

• What other concerns do you have about your present living situation? What else should your roommate know about living with you?