Choosing your housemates for second year, third year, or beyond is not always the easiest of tasks, especially if you have recently moved to a new city for university. It can be overwhelming to have just got the hang of ‘adulting’ independently, to then be hit with the pressure of signing a house contract with people who are almost strangers. As odd a situation as this may be, there are a few important things that make the process easier. If you are wondering how to choose your housemates, there are some crucial things to consider.
The biggest thing to remember is that it is the estate agent’s job to sell the house to you. They are very likely to tell you that you need to sign a house quickly to get the best deal before everything is taken by other students. This simply is not true. Student houses are not all taken by Christmas, and you can still find a house within your budget later in the year. Although it feels great to be organised, there is no rush.
In fact, it is often better to wait until the end of first term or the start of second term to decide who to live with. Starting afresh in a new city means that a lot of people are on their best behaviour for the first semester. People can start to show their true colours when they are more comfortable and used to their new lifestyle. That housemate that always washes up immediately after eating; they could really be quite messy. Despite some exceptions, the friends you make in freshers week may not be your friends throughout university (for various reasons), and that is okay. Above all, make sure you like and get on with the people you choose to live with, at least enough to see them every day.
Be honest
Try to be upfront with others if they ask to live with you and you feel differently. It is important to say no if you do not want to live with someone or a group of people. Of course, decline their suggestion in a polite way. Explain your reasoning, but do not agree to something you do not want to avoid conflict. At the end of the day, you want to go back to your student house and feel relaxed.
The easiest ways to find people to live with are often in first-year accommodation, your course, or societies. These are all great ways to meet people, but a word of warning. Living with people you see daily on your course can lead to an unhealthy comparison of how much academic work you are all doing. Variety, where possible, will work in your favour. It can even expand your friendship circle.
However, if these ways of finding housemates are not all they’re cracked up to be, universities often have housemate-finder events to mix with different people. Look out for these, or ask student mentors, welfare officers, or anyone that may be able to point you in the right direction. Living in student accommodation again (known to many as ‘halls’) is another option. If you enjoy living there and think you want to do that again, go ahead and apply.
Put yourself first
Ultimately, when choosing who to live with, you have to put yourself before those around you. In short, make sure you are happy with the end result. That does not mean you will not have to compromise at times. Most of all, it is useful to talk to the people you are considering living with to discuss what everyone wants from a house. People will have different budgets, different ideas about having ensuite bathrooms, bills included in the contract, and location preferences. Ideally, the group you are in will be able to negotiate and agree on these things. That way, when you shop around with various agents for a house, you know exactly what you are looking for.
No one is perfect, and choosing housemates is a difficult yet exciting chore of university. If you are not as happy as you had imagined with your housemates when next year rolls around, do not worry. House contracts are usually a year long. You can easily live with a different group the following year.
See also: How to settle back into university life after a year abroad