Roommates can shape a student’s freshman-year experience in profound ways. When I excitedly filled out my roommate questionnaire the summer before college, I did not realize how much more could go into ensuring a strong match.
Fairfield University, like many colleges, uses a questionnaire to pair incoming students based on lifestyle habits. This approach covers important basics such as bedtime preferences, cleanliness and smoking habits, but leaves out the deeper personality traits and communication styles that influence compatibility. The current system relies not only on matching students with similar answers but also on keyword matching in an optional notes section. This process reduces the human oversight that once took weeks or months to ensure better matches. Since roommate relationships significantly impact students’ well-being and overall college experience, refining this process could be beneficial for everyone.
For example, while the questionnaire asks about guest preferences – offering the choices of “Weekdays Only, Weekends Only, No Preference, Let me know ahead of time, Anytime” – it does not clarify what “ahead of time” means. One person might consider a text at 2 AM enough notice, while another might expect a conversation a day or two in advance. Addressing these gray areas that lead to roommate conflict can help prevent misunderstandings before they arise.
Additionally, the questionnaire includes a question about smoking, an activity that requires a person to be 21 but does not ask about drinking or social habits. Since these choices impact shared living spaces, it may be beneficial to include questions that give students a better understanding of each other’s lifestyle choices, such as how often they go out, whether they prefer a quiet space, or how they like to unwind after a long day. This will help match students with similar behaviors and ways of living.
Another area to be considered is the current bedtime options, which currently provide broad options: “8-10 PM, 10-Midnight, or After Midnight.” While extremely helpful, these ranges do not account for the fact that an 8 PM sleeper may have very different needs from someone who prefers to go to bed at 10 PM. Additionally, the question does not consider nuances, such as whether someone needs complete silence or is comfortable with a television on. A person’s sleep routine affects their studies, motivation, and overall well-being, making it crucial to match roommates with similar needs.
Beyond bedtime and cleanliness, other factors such as conflict resolution and personal space boundaries, are vital in a successful roommate match. The questionnaire does not currently address whether students prefer direct communication or subtle hints, how they manage stress, or what their expectations are for shared spaces. Even two people with similar sleep and cleanliness preferences may struggle to get along if they have opposing approaches to communication and personal boundaries.
A more comprehensive questionnaire could include scenario-based questions to gauge how students would handle common roommate conflicts. Additionally, allowing for open-ended responses or expanding sections on communication and social habits could create a more accurate matching process.
Roommates do not have to be best friends, but they do have to be compatible in ways that go beyond surface-level habits. By refining the questionnaire, Fairfield Res Life can further support students in a positive and cooperative living environment.
