<p>My question is basically what the title says. A couple of the people I've talked to that are going to my school have already dwelved into serious topics with their roommate like sex and alcohol... I'm sitting there thinking how on earth do you get on to that topic with some person that you've only talked to for a few days by text or facebook messaging. My roommate seems great and I don't want to mess things up... So I'm thinking that it may be best to approach this topic when we finally meet at college.. </p>
<p>i say to just ask them if you could set ground rules now so there are no problems when you move in.</p>
<p>Are you talking about the topic in general or as it relates to your roommate and what is permissible?
It might be good to find a list of “ground rules for roommates” topics and say that you thought it was a good idea to make sure you are both on the same page. </p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you want.</p>
<p>Your school or dorm may have things during the beginning of the school year to help you broach the topic (like a roommate contract, a checklist of things to talk about, a flyer reminding you everyone to talk to their roommate, etc). Sex and alcohol though (in terms of how it relates to your roommate) really aren’t that serious or personal, as long as you’re not asking for details of their sex life or anything. Just talk about the basic things about sharing a room when you both move in: what your schedules are like (staying up late or waking up early) and how you want to deal with conflicts in those (earplugs, sleep masks, using a desk lamp vs. the overhead light, etc), overnight guests (or just guests in general, if you have any opinions on that), etc. </p>