Are you Dutch? Then check out our Dutch article about hospiteren.
Hospiteren. It sounds strange when you hear about it: you apply for a room in a student house, then get interviewed by the house's tenants, and they decide whether you get the room or not. During a hospiteer-evening, all applicants (aka hospitants) for a room are invited to meet the current residents and view the room. The current residents then choose their new roommate themselves depending on who they think would be the best fit for the house. Sometimes, hospiteer-evenings also take place online – which is convenient if you’re still living on the other side of the globe.
If you’re an international student, these evenings might be a bit daunting though – you're basically stepping out of your comfort zone. So what’s the best approach to a successful hospiteer-evening? Let me give you some tips.
1. Create an attractive profile
To attend a hospiteer-evening (hospi), you have to actually get invited to one. So, the first step is to create a profile on a housing website like Kamernet and apply for rooms. Friends who have been on both sides of a hospi have all said the same thing: an attractive, original profile is super important, so avoid the standard ‘Hi, my name is (blank) and my hobbies are (blank). Would love to get a room here!’. You want to stand out, so make your profile stand out!
For example, one friend told me that they would rather have a potential resident be brutally honest about themselves, rather than using common buzzwords such as that you’re ‘spontaneous’ or ‘like to have a drink and party’. Instead, a description of what you do in your daily life and your actual hobbies (instead of the standard ones where you’re trying to bait people into choosing you) might interest the current residents. Just be sure that the residents have a good idea of what type of person you are, and they might be curious to know more.
Whatever the case, make sure you at least have a profile picture of yourself, and not a group photo where no one can tell who you are. Without a photo, the current residents have no image of you and are less likely to invite you. Or worse: they might go looking for old Facebook photos themselves.
2. Write something original
When actually applying for a room, don’t just use the cliche ‘I like to have a drink and party’ terms – everyone likes those things, so what do you bring to the table for the house? The residents get a myriad of responses to a single room, so it’s important to not write a standard message, but one that stands out. Say, for example, something about the room itself, what posters you have in mind for the walls, other objects you want to place, and – most importantly - why you think you’d fit into the house. It’s not a good idea to copy-paste the same message over and over again for different houses – every room and house is different, so while it might get tiring, don’t give up!
3. Prepare yourself
The message has been sent and you’ve been invited to the hospi. Now what? It’s a good idea to prepare for the evening a little bit. Usually, the same kinds of questions show up, such as ‘Tell us a bit about yourself,’ or ‘What are your hobbies? What do you look for in a room?’ Think about this in advance and prepare, so you don’t end up babbling about who knows what during the evening. However, also remember that it’s supposed to be just a casual conversation with your potential new roommates, and you don’t have to give professional-sounding answers.
Sometimes, during these evenings, you’ll get asked silly questions as well, such as ‘If you were a piece of fruit, what would you be?’ Obviously, there is no right or wrong answer here, so you shouldn’t take it too seriously. What matters to the current residents is how you handle this – don’t say that you’re not sure, but actually give a spontaneous answer.
4. Be on time
Most houses invite you to a specific time slot. Make sure you don’t arrive late, because being late never leaves a good impression. Arriving too early might also be a bad idea, as the residents could still be busy with another batch of potential housemates. So just arrive on time – not too early, not late.
5. Be yourself
Probably the most important thing of all is to just be yourself. Don’t pretend to be anything other than what you are – you’re not doing yourself, or the house, any favours by pretending to be someone else. Remember, you might be living with them for the next couple of years, so you want to make sure you fit with them as much as they fit with you.
6. Express a willingness to learn Dutch
Most student houses for which you have to attend a hospi are occupied by Dutch students, which is understandable, as the residents are more likely to choose a housemate that shares their own culture and origin – it's just easier. However, if you know a little Dutch, and are willing to learn more (be very clear about this), the current residents might just choose you! Don’t fear if you don’t speak Dutch though – there are many houses in Enschede where Dutch and international students live together and only speak English.
7. Don’t bring your parents
Although you might want to show your parents your potential new room right away, this isn’t a very good idea. If you move in, you want to be independent, and having your parents with you gives off the wrong image. Best to leave the old folks at home and go on your own.
8. Talk to all current residents
Some student houses have as many as ten students or more. Each resident has a voice in the vote for a new housemate – therefore, try to have a conversation with everyone. If you’re in a conversation with a potential new roommate, keep an open mind, answer the questions they ask, and don’t forget to also ask some questions yourself and get to know them. Make the rounds on everyone present and show interest – that way, you’ll come across as spontaneous, and simultaneously, you'll find out if the house and its residents suit you as well.
9. If you didn’t make it – ask!
After the evening, you’ll have to wait for a response. If you get a message that sounds like ‘We had a great time, but unfortunately chose someone else,’ or something along those lines, then don’t worry too much. I’ve never heard of anyone who’s found a room after just one viewing, hospiteren or not. Don’t be afraid to ask the residents why you didn’t make it – you’ve got nothing to lose, after all, and if they respond, you can use this knowledge to arm yourself for the next viewing.
Don’t forget that hospiteren isn’t so much a one-way selection procedure, but rather a way to get to know each other and experience whether you would feel at home in the house. So, just trust in the process, and that nice room will come eventually!
