If your school gives you a roommate's contact info before move-in, that first conversation is worth more than most people give it credit for. It's not about deciding whether you'll be friends - it's about avoiding the small, avoidable frictions that turn into real problems by week three.
Sleep and Study Habits
Ask directly: what time do you usually go to sleep, and do you study better with noise or in silence? This is the single biggest source of early roommate friction, and it's also the easiest one to head off with one honest conversation.
Guests and Visitors
Ask how they feel about overnight guests, how much notice they'd want, and whether that's different on weekdays versus weekends. Neither answer is wrong, but a mismatch you didn't see coming is much harder to navigate than one you talked through early.
What Each of You Is Actually Bringing
This is where you avoid the classic two-mini-fridges, two-rugs problem. Compare packing lists for anything bulky or shared - fridge, rug, TV, printer - before either of you buys anything.
Cleanliness Expectations
"I'm pretty clean" means different things to different people. Ask something more specific: how often do you want to take out the trash, and does clutter bother you, or just dishes and food mess?
Smoking, Vaping, and Substances
However you each feel personally, this is worth asking about plainly and early rather than discovering a mismatch after move-in - it affects both of you directly, and most schools have specific rules about it in dorms regardless of either person's preference.
How They Handle Disagreement
You don't need to ask this bluntly, but it's worth noting how the conversation itself goes - do they respond directly, or avoid anything that sounds like conflict? That tells you something real about how future disagreements, even small ones, are likely to get handled.
None of these questions are awkward if you frame them as practical, not personal - most roommates are relieved to have this conversation early rather than guessing. And if things don't go smoothly once you're actually living together, here's what to do next.