How to find housemates that are right for you
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In one of the earlier articles we have highlighted the importance of having good living accommodations and how much of an impact they can have on your university life experience. A significant part of that experience depends largely on the individuals you are sharing your space with. Imagine being stuck with a housemate who drives you crazy or makes you uncomfortable to a point where you may find it impossible to live in peace in your own space. Alternatively, the individual you are sharing space with does not pay their bills or contributes towards groceries etc. putting additional financial burden on you. So much so that you reach a point where you regret your decision to live with them and may begin to consider other possibilities.
As you know, Studyhomes are comfortable residential facilities that are a viable option as Southampton student accommodations. We offer private houses of four to five bedrooms that can be used on shared basis by individuals. Our student houses in Southampton provide you with the opportunity to live with selected individuals who are like-minded and with whom you can enjoy the experience of independent living during your university life.
Therefore it is absolutely important that you choose people who are the right fit for you and will help you add value to the experience of living in a private sharing facility during your university years. If the people you are living with are just the right fit, you can make bonds and linkages that will last a lifetime and give you moments that will make for everlasting beautiful and cherished memories. On the contrary, not finding the right fit may make this arrangement a hellish experience, a nightmare rather, from which you would yearn for an escape and try to find alternative arrangements as soon as possible.
How can I find out if my housemate is right for me?
As we mentioned earlier the Study homes Southampton student accommodations are private residents where you can choose to live comfortably on a shared basis with other individuals. In order to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable it is important that you find individuals who are like minded and will help you adjust easily in your accommodations. While there is no definite formula that you can apply to finding a housemate that is absolutely right for you, there are however a few measures you can take to ensure that the process is easy for you and you are able to find a housemate that suits your preferences. In this section we have outlined a few guidelines that may help you in the process. You may apply these while selecting whom you want to live with in the student houses in Southampton.
· Determine what you are looking for- before you begin looking for a housemate you need to analyze what exactly are you looking for in the arrangementand what sort of expectations do you have from having a housemate. Having a clear set of expectations is absolutely essential. While it is important that you find people who are like minded, it is also important to find people who won’t be a source of botheration or stress for you. This analysis will later on help you in determining what sort of questions you should ask while interviewing the candidates.
· Start your search in good time-this is an important aspect to take care of. When you are looking for a housemate, it is a good thing to start the searching process as soon as you can so that later on you don’t feel pressed to make a hasty decision and end up picking the first person that comes along.
· Choose how you want to advertise- how you decide to advertise will definitely affect what kind of audience you are addressing to. Choosing the right marketing medium will help you find the right audience to select from. You can put advertisements on the university’s bulletin or notice boards. This will help you find peers from the university with similar interests and activities. If you want a wider platform, and feel that the university board will not be enough, digital mediums like Craigslist are an option as well.
· Find good leads- another way to find the right kind of housemates is by getting the help of your friends and peers.You can ask for references from friends or acquaintances or ask them to spread word of mouth. This will help you in finding individuals who you may know already indirectly; and may feel comfortable in living with as it would be easier to get along with them.
· Get references and do background check- you may meet someone that you absolutely like and you are convinced they would be the right fit. However appearances can be deceptive at times. Therefore it is important that you conduct a thorough background check on the individual you are considering for your housemate positions. You may also ask for references from previous places they have been living in. A cautious person may go as far as checking police records as well. This may be a wise decision under certain circumstances as it is always better to be on the safe side.
· Consider multiple options-do not limit your search to one or two or even a few individuals only. Always conduct multiple interviews so that you have a wide pool of candidates to choose from. You may also need to choose your questions carefully so that you can gather the right kind of information which will help you make a better decision and choose the right fit for your living arrangements.
· Convey your viewpoint directly- when asking questions remember not to hold back at all. Convey to the candidates exactly what sort of expectations do you have and what qualities you are looking for. This may help make the screening process swift and easier as the people looking for accommodations would also know beforehand what they would be getting out of the arrangement and make their decision accordingly to pursue the arrangement or not.
