Rules for Talking to Potential Roommates by Ava Byrne

Having committed to a college, my next quest on this journey is to find a roommate. I am frustrated with the roommate-finding process to say the least and I manage to complain about it every day in the writing center (shout out to all the 6/7 interns who have to listen to me). However, my real frustration comes from the digital interactions I’ve had with potential roommates via Instagram.

Trying to make small talk with a complete stranger over social media is hard, I get it, but some people really don’t know how to act. So I’ve created a few guidelines to make the whole process smoother for both parties involved.

  1. If one person asks you a question and you reply, it is now YOUR responsibility to ask the next question to keep the conversation going. Imagine it like a game of ping pong, the ball goes back and forth to each person. This ensures its not a one-sided conversation.
  2. Make your questions interesting! Please be a little more creative than “what are you majoring in?”
  3. Send some memes! I had a girl send me memes and it told me way more about her than her major or what she’s most looking forward to in college ever could.
  4. Act interested in what people say to you, even if you’re not. Trust me, your lack of enthusiasm will be noticeable.
  5. Try to find something you both have in common like a favorite animal or TV show. This breaks the ice and immediately establishes something you guys can talk about. This is an activity that I’ve done at camp but it can totally be applicable in this situation too.
  6. Don’t let the other person always be the first one to reach out.

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