This post is all about the best questions to ask potential college roommates before move in day.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Learn more: Affiliate Disclaimer.
Finding a roommate for freshman year of college can be really daunting. You’ll basically be living in a tiny box with this person for an entire year, so you want to make sure you’re really compatible before agreeing to live together.
Some people choose to go the random roommate route, while others try to find a good match on their incoming class’ Facebook group.
I chose to have a random roommate, and I’m very lucky that it worked out well. I know other people who have had total nightmares of roommates, though.
If you want to lessen the likelihood of ending up with a bad roommate, it’s important to ask as many questions as you can before you decide to live together.
Here are 50+ essential questions to ask potential college roommates that you should know the answers to before move in day.
Roommate Questions To Get To Know Each Other
1. Where are you from?
2. What’s your major?
Follow up question: why did you pick that major?
3. What’s your class schedule like?
4. Are you an introvert or extrovert?
Introverts and extroverts can definitely get along well in the same room, but it’s always a good idea to know that about the other person first. You don’t want to put them in situations that make them feel uncomfortable.
5. What kind of music do you like?
6. What high school did you go to?
7. When is your birthday?
Make a note of your roommate’s birthday so you can do something nice for their big day!
8. Do you drink coffee or tea?
Follow up question: are you bringing a coffee maker to the dorm? This will be helpful when discussing what items you can share with your future roomie.
9. Do you play any sports? Will you be playing a sport in college?
10. Do you have any pets at home?
It’s always a good sign if you and your potential roommate are both animal lovers!
11. Were you involved in any clubs or sports in high school?
12. What is your zodiac sign?
13. What are your favorite books or movies?
Having common interests is always a good sign with potential roommates. Plus, you’ll have a better idea of what movie nights you guys can have together.
14. Are you planning on doing sorority or fraternity rush?
If greek life is big at your school, this is definitely an important college roommate question to ask. Students who rush are often WAY busier with obligatory social events.
15. Are you in a relationship?
16. Do you think you’ll get homesick?
17. Do you have any siblings?
18. What are your hobbies?
Again, try to find some common interest. You don’t need to be the exact same person, but if you have a few things in common it will likely work out a lot better.
19. Is religion important to you?
20. Do you have a job / will you work on campus?
Questions To Ask Potential College Roommates To See If You’re Compatible
21. Do you drink?
22. Are you a smoker?
23. How often do you go out?
These 3 questions are super important for potential college roommates. You don’t want to end up with someone who is partying all the time if that’s not your scene at all.
24. Do you prefer to listen to music out loud or in your headphones?
25. How clean do you like to keep your room?
Make sure that you have similar levels of cleanliness. If you’re a total clean freak, you’ll probably want to live with someone else who keeps their room super clean as well.
26. Have you ever shared a room with someone else before?
27. What are your study habits like?
28. Do you prefer to study in your room or at the library?
It’s good to know if you both plan on being in the room 24/7, or if one of you likes to take their studying to the library or coffee shop.
29. What time do you usually go to bed?
30. What time do you get up in the morning?
If you prefer to sleep in, you don’t want a roomie who is up at 5:00am doing her morning stretches next to your bed.
31. Do you have any health concerns or allergies?
32. How do you deal with conflict?
It’s a good idea to know each other’s conflict resolution styles. If one of you avoids conflict like the plague and the other one is super confrontational, you’ll need to be prepared for that.
33. How should I approach you if I have an issue or concern?
Always good to know if your roommate would rather you text them or talk in person about any potential issues.
34. What do you do on the weekends?
35. Are you a morning or night person?
36. How do you feel about having people over?
This is huge! Make sure you’re both on the same page about having people over to your room, how late they can stay, and if you’re okay with overnight guests.
37. Do you have a significant other that you’ll be having over often?
College Roommate Questions Specific To Dorm Life
38. Do you fall asleep to TV or a noise machine? Or do you like complete silence?
39. Do you have a preference for which dorm you want to live in?
Some schools allow you to put down preferences for what dorm you want to live in. If you’re on the same page with where you want to live, make sure you both put the same answers down.
40. Do you have any pet peeves for a roommate?
41. Do you snore?
42. How would you like to divide the cleaning duties?
Get this question out of the way before you move in so that you’re on the same page from day one.
43. Are you planning on using blackout curtains?
I prefer waking up to some natural light, so it would be really difficult for me to wake up in the pitch black. This may or may not be a big deal to you!
44. How can I be a good roommate?
45. Are you bringing a car to campus?
46. How are you planning to decorate your side of the room?
Try to coordinate your decor a bit so that your room looks more put together!
47. Are you lofting your bed or using bed risers?
48. Do you shower in the morning or at night?
49. How long do you usually take to get ready?
50. Do you make your bed in the morning?
51. Are there any big dorm items that you’ve already purchased?
You’ll want to know if your roomie has already bought big items like a TV, microwave, or rug. You don’t want to have double of everything. Read this post if you’re not sure what items to share with your roommate in college.
52. Are you okay with splitting the cost of some larger dorm items?
53. What temperature do you like your room to be?
54. Are there any rules we should establish before move in day?
So important to establish your ground rules before you move in or on move in day! You’ll want to start the semester on the right foot with one another.
This post was all about the best college roommate questions to ask before move in day. Hopefully these questions will help you find the best possible roommate to live with during your freshman year of college.
Here are some more college posts you may be interested in: