Practical Questions About Living Together

Flatmates. Ahhh,  the people who can either make or break the living-away-from-home experience when you finally move out. If you're moving into an LSE hall, it's likely that you'll have a few flatmates (unless you're in a studio, of course). 🤝

To help you dive beneath the surface and spark some real conversations with the people you'll be sharing your space with, here are five thoughtful questions you can ask to get to know them better and possibly figure out a way to live together happily! 😅

• What Does Your Daily Routine Look Like? 🕒

It’s super helpful to know your flatmates’ schedules, especially if you're sharing a bathroom or kitchen. Having a heads-up on when these spaces may be occupied gives everyone a better sense of what to expect and lets you plan your day smartly without stepping on each other’s toes! ⏰

• How Do You Feel About Sharing Essentials and Cleaning Common Areas? 🧽

Having an early conversation about sharing essentials and cleaning common spaces is important. Will you share things like dish soap, oil, or kitchen roll, or prefer to buy your own? How will cleaning work? Will you use a rota or clean-as-you-go? Agree on a system that everyone can get behind. 🧺

• Do You Have Any Dietary Restrictions or Allergies? 🍽️

When you are living in shared spaces, it is extremely important to be mindful that what’s normal for you might affect someone else. Especially when using the kitchen, it’s polite to ask your flatmates if they have any allergies or avoid certain foods for cultural, religious, or health reasons. Ask how you can be supportive. It goes a long way. 💡

• What Helps You Unwind After a Long Day? 😌

As LSE students, your flatmates’ lives, much like yours, are filled with lectures, seminars, dissertation stress, and of course, the internship or job hunt. And while this makes for long days, some days are more stressful than others, and everyone unwinds differently. Some might want to have their peace and quiet, while others may want to chat or head out. Ask what works best for them, so you can be a supportive flatmate when it matters. ☕️

• What's something on your London bucket list? 🧭

Now, since you’re living together, you’ll probably spend some time with your flatmates anyway, so why not make it fun? Find out what they want to see or do in London. There's likely gonna be something that both of you enjoy, and boom - there you have it.  You’ve got yourself a weekend plan or flatmate night sorted. Trust me, you might just create some iconic memories. 📸

This list is just a starting point that covers some broad topics of living together. You don’t have to ask everything at once like a checklist. Use these questions to gently guide your conversations and make interactions less awkward. Feel free to edit them or add your own! 🌟

Sometimes, a single question turns into a deep chat, and before you know it, you’ve found a flatmate who becomes a close friend. But even if you don’t become besties, knowing how to live with each other makes a huge difference. 🛋️

After all, you don’t want to come back from a long day only to find an unexpected party in the kitchen and be forced to socialise when you just wanna make some ramen and go to bed, right? 🙃

So go on, put on a smile and get to know each other. A little effort now can lead to smoother living… and maybe even some lifelong memories. 😊