Off-campus Housing

• Reduced monthly cost of living/rent
• Companionship
• Increased safety (e.g., someone else is around)

• How well do I get along with others, especially my new potential roommate?
• What are some of our differences? Similarities?
• Do we communicate our problems well?
• Do we have similar lifestyles? (e.g., drinking, cleanliness, quiet time, school, etc.)
• Do we look at budgeting and financials similarly? (i.e., Can I rely on my roommate to pay their portion of rent?)

Tip: Carefully interview and get to know your potential roommate prior to moving in together. Remember: it is okay to say “no” to a potential roommate.

• Open and honest communication
• Talk about an issue right when it happens (do not wait).
• Post your schedules
• Discuss expectations prior to moving in (and continuing discussing them as situations arise)

Example: is it okay to have others stay overnight?

Often times students will choose to live with a roommate while attending the university. CU Denver offers a roommate resource for students. This is not a roommate placement service; however it can assist your student in finding a roommate who is also a student at CU Denver.

Roommate conflicts are natural and healthy. Part of the college learning experience, may also include learning to live with a roommate. This experience will help your student to learn essential skills like communication and boundary setting. You can help this process by challenging your student to actively work through the issues, instead of avoiding them or looking for easy answers. Changing roommates is often not the best solution, so helping your student seek alternative solutions, will enhance the learning that can come from this experience.​​​​​

Even if your student has chosen his or her roommate, and especially if he or she hasn’t, help get them in contact early and often. The more the students communicate before move-in, the less like strangers they’ll seem when the day arrives.

• Important topics to cover during the summer are sleep, study and social habits - are they compatible and, if not, what kind of compromise will be made?
• Roommates need to know each other’s expectations and limitations regarding personal belongings such as clothing, electronic equipment and use of items in the room while one or the other is away.
• Roommates need to be clear on the behavior expected of each other’s guests and how to express concerns to each other.
• Most importantly for now, roommates need to figure out who is bringing what for the room - absolutely nobody wants to move heavy electronic equipment or a piece of furniture only to cart it back home!