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Can you describe your perfect roommate in less than 30 seconds? If you're having trouble, help is on the way. The good news is you'll be able to find the right roommates for you by creating your own "perfect roommate recipe".
By creating your own recipe, you'll be able to find which qualities are important to you, which in turn will help you decide whether a person would be suitable as a roommate. The ingredients or factors that form part of this recipe will always be the same regardless of your current situation. It's just a matter of finding the right combination of ingredients that will help you find the perfect roommate for you. As each person has different tastes, there's no right or wrong answer as everyone's idea of the perfect roommate is different.
When putting together your recipe for the perfect roommate, simply take these ingredients, stir and add your own twist.
Gender
Do you wish your new roommate to be male or female? Consider the gender of existing roommates and how a male or female could affect your existing household.
Age
Will new roommates need to be in the same age group than you or existing roommates? People of different ages often have different living patterns, interests and viewpoints.
Smoking Habits
Do you prefer roommates who are non-smokers or a living environment where roommates can choose to smoke? The smoking habits of current roommates and their preferences will naturally determine the smoking arrangements in each household.
Drinking Habits
Is it important whether a roommate likes a glass of wine, prefers a beer or is a non-drinker? Keep in mind that non-drinkers may not be happy if a portion of the shopping budget is spent on alcohol.
Personality
Do you prefer your roommate to have a quiet, outgoing, independent, laid back or reserved personality? Whatever your choice, this essential ingredient will influence group dynamics and the interaction between roommates. For example, a person who sees their roommates as friends may feel isolated if all of their roommates are independent and make their own plans.
Hobbies and Interests
Do your roommates need to enjoy the same type of music, like to entertain or lead a health conscious lifestyle? Different likes and dislikes can cause conflicts and disruptions within a household. To ensure a harmonious living environment all roommates should have some interests in common.
Length of Stay
Is it important that you and your roommates spend a minimum amount of time living together? For example, deciding that current roommates should set up a household for a minimum of a year will help household budgeting and allows everyone to have the same expectations.
Friends and Guests
Do you prefer roommates which have a lot of friends visiting or living with people who meet their friends elsewhere? It's a matter of deciding whether you prefer a busy home where people are continuously walking in and out or a quieter living environment.
Personal Belongings
Will your roommates need to bring or contribute any items to the household and how much space will be available for personal belongings? For example, if you are living in a small apartment, a roommate with only a few personal items may be more suitable than a person that has a 3-piece lounge set.
Independence
Do you prefer roommates that wish to form close relationships with other roommates or should roommates be independent and want to do their own thing? The amount of independence of each roommate will play an important part in the development of relationships within a household.
The advantage of this recipe is that whenever a part of your life or living environment changes, you can simply re-create your recipe to match your new hobbies, lifestyle or living situation. Changing your perfect roommate recipe when you need to will help you find the right roommates each time. Remember, if you are ever unsure in which direction you are heading, just ask yourself "Can you describe your perfect roommate in 30 seconds or less?"
Good luck and happy roommate hunting!
Enid Steiner is a Director of Flatwithme.com.au and is committed to providing valuable information and resources to people searching for roommates. Flatwithme.com.au is an Australian online roommate service where people looking for roommates can place and search advertisements, read valuable tips and hints and print articles about roommate related topics. To take advantage of these resources log onto http://www.flatwithme.com.au/advice.html. |
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