Top tips on getting to know your new flatmates

If you've just had your flat chat (or are just looking for ways to get to know you flat and how you can live well together), try the activity below! This works best if you all sit together in your kitchen and do it at the same time.

Take a piece of paper and write down the answers to the following questions:

1. Are you a night owl or an early bird? (You might need to explain what these terms mean to international students who haven't come across them!)
2. Light or heavy sleeper?
   
3. Do you shower in the mornings or evenings?
   
4. How often do you like to have friends over?
   
5. Do you like to study at home or the library (or any study space outside of your flat)?
   

Now, share your answers with each other. Do you have similar answers or different? Similar answers may mean that it would be helpful to come up with a schedule for things like using the bathrooms and kitchen so you don't all try to use them at the same time! If your answers are quite different, this may mean it would be helpful to have certain rules in place, things like quiet hours so people don't get woken up or a system in place where you check with each other if it's ok to have friends over at certain times of day/night.

Knowing these things about each other should help you to find a happy and healthy routine for your flat! Always remember, if things aren't working out, talk to each other! Call a flat meeting in your kitchen so you can all discuss together how to resolve certain issues. If you find you have tried to resolve things together and they are still not working, you can always email us at residencelife@cardiff.ac.uk for some help!

Enjoy your new flat!