College · Family Resources

Find the gaps before
you share a room.

Most roommate trouble starts with things nobody mentioned: a 1:30 am bedtime, a friend who stays over, calls at full volume. Put both schedules in, place each of you on a 1 to 5 scale for the habits that matter, and the guide shows how far apart you are, what you already match on and what to settle in writing at move-in.

Start a conversationWhat you get

Conversations

The worked example is made up: a first video call with an assigned roommate, a possible match found through a housing survey, and a midyear room change. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

College · Family ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A record per roommate conversation: who, when and how; both bedtimes and wake times; a row per habit with each person’s place on a 1 to 5 scale; what you agreed, what is still open and five checks. Works out how far apart the sleep schedules are across midnight, lists gaps of two points or more and matching answers, and prints a one-page move-in summary.
Who it is for
Incoming and current college students choosing or meeting a roommate, and the parents and caregivers helping them prepare.
Format
Browser discussion guide with a saved record per conversation. Prints the move-in summary, the full record, every conversation in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Family Resources space in Caveat College.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Swap usual bedtimes and wake times.
  2. Each say a number for a topic, then talk.
  3. Look at the gaps of two or more.
  4. Write what you agreed and what is open.
  5. Print the summary for move-in day.

Start a conversation

Talking it through

One good first conversation1Swap schedulesBedtime, wake time and classtimes on a usual weekday2Go topic by topicEach of you says a number from1 to 5 before discussing3Name the gapsTwo points or more apart: talkabout it now, kindly4Agree on the easy onesWrite down what you alreadymatch on5Plan how to raise problemsWithin a day, in person,starting with what you noticed6Write it down at move-inMost colleges give rooms awritten roommate agreementOne good first conversation1Swap schedulesBedtime, wake time and class times on ausual weekday2Go topic by topicEach of you says a number from 1 to 5before discussing3Name the gapsTwo points or more apart: talk about itnow, kindly4Agree on the easy onesWrite down what you already match on5Plan how to raise problemsWithin a day, in person, starting withwhat you noticed6Write it down at move-inMost colleges give rooms a writtenroommate agreement
Saying the number before discussing keeps either of you from simply agreeing.

Why the numbers help

“I’m pretty clean” means different things to different people. A number on the same scale, said before discussing, shows a real difference early, while it is still easy to plan around: a shared cleaning day, headphones after a set time, a heads-up text before guests.

When it is not working

Talk to your roommate first, soon and in person. If that does not help, your resident assistant or the housing office can run a roommate mediation and explain the room-change process, which at many colleges opens a few weeks into the term.

Sources

  1. Association of College and University Housing Officers–International (ACUHO-I): roommate agreements and conflict resources (acuho-i.org).
  2. Your college’s residence life or housing office: roommate agreement form, what rooms include and the room-change process.
  3. Your college’s residence hall handbook: guest, quiet-hours and room-change policies.
  4. Erb, S. E., Renshaw, K. D., Short, J. L., & Pollard, J. W. (2014). The importance of college roommate relationships. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(1), 43–55.

The worked example is made up. Housing rules, guest policies and room-change dates are set by each college. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.