emily
3 answers
Austin L.
Austin’s Answer
Hi Emily,
Good question. Roommates are a key part of your college experience and you don't want to be that person with the crazy roommate. Incoming classes at a given university often have a Facebook group and this is a great way to meet people and find a roommate. I know for my university's FB page that people would post bios about themselves in order to find a likeminded roommate. This is a great low-cost way to find a roommate and I definitely recommend doing this at a minimum. Most universities also will have you fill out a survey about yourself to help match you with a likeminded roommate in the chance that you haven't found someone by the time in comes to pick your freshman year housing. You honestly never really know how your roommate is going to turn out until you actually move in with them. They may seem totally normal over FB or through a survey but end up being a total psycho after the first month at school. Some people have great roommates while others have roommates that that are a bit wacky. Whatever happens, it will be a learning experience either way. Do your best to find someone online before you have to declare as this gives you the most amount of choice when picking your first year's roommate.
I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck!!
Best,
Austin
Nicole Baillie
Nicole’s Answer
Ahh roomies! It is possible that you may not find a "good" roommate until after your freshman year. While I applaud the previous advice given and the research options offered, I share that individuals learn a lot about themselves during their freshman year of college. Things like when they are most effective at studying, how late they prefer to stay up or how early they prefer to go to bed, or how early they get up in the mornings or what their routine is if they have a job while attending school. When living with others there can be differences in how to maintain common areas like the kitchen and the bathroom. And where there are instances that involve money/bills...well that can be a journey of it's own. These living experiences can and do change and finding a roommate that can match these, to a desired level of comfort, is as much about you as it is about them.
I encourage you to do your research and do your very best to build a good relationship with your roommate(s). It can go a long way to creating the peace of mind needed to be successful in your college journey.
Best of luck to you!
Sheila Jordan
Sheila’s Answer
This is a good question. As others have already shared great suggestions finding a good roommate may take some time. I suggest checking your university Facebook page to start. You may want to research what type of qualities you are seeking in a roommate. You may not find all the qualities you want but, there may be some you're able to live with. Check with your university housing department to see if they could offer you some advice. Living with a total stranger you've never met before can be scary but, it doesn't have to be. Once you're assigned a roommate set boundaries that you two could agree on. I hope this was helpful. Best of luck to you!
Sheila recommends the following next steps: