The college application season is a challenging feat. Ask any senior you know, and they are more than likely to express how over the moon they are that they are done with the Common App, never-ending essays, and dealing with financial aid. As the emails start trickling back and students are committing to where they are going to spend the next four years, the stress is seemingly dissipating. Yet, many find it comes back full speed when trying to find a roommate. According to Georgetown University, one in three students have problems with their roommates in their first year. Along with that, roommate difficulties impact academics in 17% of students. With these daunting statistics, many high school seniors worry about finding a roommate for a whole year in a small, shoebox-like dorm room. Whether you are going into college with a random roommate, a friend you already know, or are currently searching, here are some tips and tricks that will help you enjoy your freshman year and help it go smoothly.
First, no matter how shy, reserved, or introverted you are, this process will bring out the chatterbox in you. One of the most up-and-coming and popular ways to reach out to potential roommates is through social media, especially Instagram. On Instagram, you can find accounts specifically for incoming freshmen to post and introduce themselves to others. These accounts usually have the username of your college with the graduation year following it. You can choose photos of yourself and create a small blurb describing yourself to others. Here is a great place to reach out and start talking to people and for them to see you and your personality. It resembles a dating app.
Second, after getting the chance to put yourself out there, you can go ahead and give yourself a round of applause: one step down. Before even reaching out or talking to others,, it is important to figure out what you want from a roommate and in your dorm. Ella Molyneux, a junior at Auburn University, had also found her roommates thanks to Instagram. When talking about her process, Molyneux mentioned, “I wanted to make sure we got along. Similar interests weren’t very important to me because I wanted to go far away and try new things”. Despite the fact that she was leaning toward finding someone with different interests, she knew what she wanted in her roommates. She knew she needed to be very patient in this process and that not everyone would fill her boxes, and that was okay; everything would work out in the end.
Third, questions, questions, questions. If you thought you had to be honest before, this is when you really need to crack down on yourself. Finding a roommate is as much about finding someone else as it is about finding out who you are and who you will be in college. Some of the most deciding factors for people are study habits, the time they sleep, and how messy they are. Even though these factors may seem small, they can make or break your relationship with your roommate. Ty Massaro, a senior at Pennridge High School, who will be attending the University of Tampa next year, asked the roommates he found through Instagram similar questions. Massaro already knew one of his three roommates before going through social media. When discussing habits and expectations with them, he stated, “I made sure he wasn’t a morning person because I’m a huge night owl, and I made sure a lot of his social plans and ideas were similar to mine, so in college we want to do the same things.” It was through questions and numerous conversations like this one that landed Massaro with two other roommates he is excited to live with this upcoming school year.
Despite how this journey of navigating a college roommate may be filled with stress and uncertainty, amidst the bumps, always remember the comforting reassurance that things will always fall into place. With support and willingness to adapt, you will never forget the endless opportunities to forge meaningful connections outside your dorm and ultimately make the most of your college experience. Remember to take everything day by day and trust your pathway ahead.
Sources:
https://studenthealth.georgetown.edu/health-issues/difficulty/#:~:text=One%20third%20of%20college%20student,help%20others%20do%20the%20same.
https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/tips-tools-advice/ultimate-guide-choosing-college-roommate/
https://nau.edu/campus-living/roommate-success-guide-questionnaire-personal-bio/
https://www.collegedata.com/resources/campus-life/4-things-to-remember-when-searching-for-a-college-roommate
