How to Make Friends With Your German Roommates 101

When I realized that I would not be living with other students from the United States while studying abroad, I was a little disappointed at first. In the Freiburg Environmental Studies & Sustainability program, each student is placed in a Wohngemeinschaft (WG), which has around four to eight people living in a shared apartment. Each person has an individual room, and the central living area and kitchen are shared. Most students in WGs attend the University of Freiburg, and they may be German or international students. I was nervous because I thought it would be difficult to meet people within my own study abroad program if I was not rooming with any U.S. students. However, that is definitely not the case. In fact, my housing assignment has turned out to be one of the most rewarding parts of the program so far.

Funny story: I still remember arriving at my WG on my first day in Germany. I was jetlagged and overwhelmed, but mostly excited to jump into my program. I was already preparing what I would say to my German roommates for minutes before I got to the entrance of my WG. My plan was to introduce myself in German and say that I was their new roommate for the semester. But when I unlocked the door, nobody was there. In fact, the apartment was silent for three hours. Eventually I gave up waiting for someone to appear and decided to take a shower.

Naturally, the minute I did so, one of my roommates came home. When I stepped out of the bathroom with my hair still in a towel, I was caught off guard and only managed to awkwardly stutter out my introductory line in German before shuffling my room. I’m sure it was as awkward for my poor roommate as it was for me.

So I didn’t make the first impression I wanted to make. But in the end, it didn’t matter. At this point in the semester, I’m good friends with my roommates, and we have group dinners, watch movies together, and play volleyball in our apartment courtyard.

Tip #1: Learn how to introduce yourself 

Even if you don’t know a single word in your study abroad city’s language, you can take five seconds to Google “My name is…” and bring a smile to the face of your new roommates. It shows that you’re open-minded and have made an attempt to learn about their culture. In most cases, Germans love when you try to speak German with them. Don’t be offended if they switch to English, though. It is almost always because they want to practice their English with a native speaker and make things easier for you, not because of your pronunciation. 

Tip #2: Cook dinner together

I feel very lucky because one of my roommates is from Pakistan, and he is an exceptional cook. He makes amazing chicken biryani, chicken kofta, and potato curry with eggs and rice. I will still be dreaming about his food when I go back to the U.S.

If your roommates don’t take the first step and offer to cook together, don’t be afraid to take initiative! Ask if they want to learn how to cook a meal that is important to you, or ask them to teach you to cook their favorite dish.

Tip #3: Play a board game

One of the first things we did as an entire WG was play Yahtzee together (which is actually called Kniffel in Germany!) It’s fun and usually breaks the ice a bit. Games also can be helpful if your WG has students who speak different languages, because games like Uno, Yahtzee, and Monopoly are easy to understand and can involve everyone.

Tip #4: Ask about a cleaning schedule and a group chat

Most WGs have a cleaning schedule that rotates so everyone is doing their part to keep the space clean. Ask what you can do to help out with weekly chores, it will be very appreciated! Also, having a WG group chat helps everyone stay organized and makes communication easier.

Tip #5: Learn about their favorite local spots!

Depending on the situation, your roommates may have already lived in your study abroad city for months or years. In my case, one of my roommates has lived in Freiburg almost her entire life. She has introduced me to some of my favorite restaurants and bars, the best clubs to go dancing at, parks to lounge at in the summer, and popular grocery stores and drugstores. Whenever I have a question about the city, I just ask my roommates for recommendations, because they are much more knowledgeable. Also, asking for advice about the city is a good way to indirectly get to know your roommates' hobbies. I learned that one of my roommates works at an ice cream parlor, and I get half price ice cream there!

Bottom line: you aren’t alone in your new city. Your roommates are an amazing resource, not only for advice but also for friendship and learning about the student experience in different cultures.