Is it better to piuck a roomate or get a random one?

Usually better if you can pick. When you pick you know what you are getting. If you do not pick they will general pick one for you.

Hi Joshua!

You asked a very important question.

Here are some thoughts on the matter. If your college has a roommate matching program, it would be a good idea to learn about that and use it to your advantage, as they take many important things into consideration that will help in the match. My daugther participated in such a program at her college and ended up with roommates that were pretty compatible. They take into consideration many aspects about the people that you might not have access to.

To help futher, here are some sites that might help:
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/twice-the-college-advice/2012/03/20/how-to-choose-and-keep-a-college-roommate
http://lifeedited.com/11-steps-for-choosing-the-right-roommate/
http://www.ocl.pitt.edu/tips-selecting-roommate

Best of luck! Please keep me informed. I would like to follow your progress!