Find Your Ideal University Housemates

Find Your Ideal University Housemates | durhamStudent™

After a year living in the reasonably close proximity in colleges, you'll be living in even closer proximity to your friends when you live out, so it makes sense to find your ideal housemates before starting the househunting.

Sleeping Times

An obvious one, but do your housemates go to bed later than you? If so, you may find you don't sleep as well (most college blocks are sorted by bed times and music taste), which will affect your work just when it actually starts counting towards your degree.

Musical Tastes

An obvious one: if you don't like your housemates' music tastes, and they like playing their music loud and continuously, will you be able to survive for a year?

Cleanliness?

Are you a clean freak? Living with the dirtiest people you know might not be in your best interests, then - it'll only lead to arguments.

Food Likes & Dislikes

Not too important, since most people can cook (in the microwave, at least), but if you're planning to cut your living costs by sharing food bills, you may want to check your housemates like the same food as you do.

The Sexes

Despite some of the sweeping generalisations of male and female housemates below, it's generally a good idea to mix the sexes if you can - it'll keep you (vaguely) sane.

Female Housemates...

...will insist the toilet seat is put down...and no, aruging that you have to lift it up will not help.
...will spend an age in the bathroom to apply 'get ready' in the morning. A pain if the sink, shower and toilet in your house are in the same room!
...will somehow get the bathroom floor incredibly wet after a shower.

Male Housemates...

...will leave the toilet seat up.
...are generally less inclined to cook and clean, which could result in arguments.

Ideal Housemates - Summary

The above is just guidance - given the almost infinite variation of people in the world (albeit there do seem to be a select number of stereotypical groups in Durham) - a clean freak, classical-loving vegetarian could live with a death-metal loving housemate who loves nothing more than to allow food to fester and be perfectly happy.

So, you've got your future housemates sorted - househunting is next!

Find Your Ideal University Housemates