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Finding a roommate in college can be very stressful, especially if you are going to a school where you might not know many people. I wanted to share my experience in finding a roommate and reassure any incoming college freshmen that everything will be okay!
I decided to go to school across the country from where I grew up, so I didn't know anyone at my college or even in my state when I began school. Finding a roommate was really hard and scary at first; I couldn't meet anyone in person because I lived too far away and I have never had to live with anyone outside of my family, so I had no idea where to begin.
Here are a few things that I found make it a bit easier to find potential roommates and connect with people who are going to be in your class.
1. Download and use a roommate finder app
Many schools I applied to recommended using a roommate app to connect with other students and find roommates. I believe the app I used was Zeemee and through this app I was able to talk to other students, make friends, and find potential roommates easily. I felt safe using it because you had to send in your acceptance letter as proof of being a student, so I knew everyone else was a student as well.
It helped with roommate searching even more because they allow you to take a roommate quiz that has questions about your sleep schedule, how you like to study, how many people you like to have over, and more! Those questions help match you with other students who had similar quiz answers.
2 Join the incoming freshman facebook group for your school
Luckily, my school had organized a facebook group for all of us incoming freshmen to be a part of. I introduced myself and got to talk with other students before even setting foot on campus! I learned that I had a lot in common with other students and even began to join groups and make friends all online before getting to school.
I also began to reach out to people about needing a roommate and soon I was talking to a handful of people about living together. I was scared of having to settle for a random roommate assignment, but within the hour I had a lot of potential roommates that I got along with. The facebook page was actually how I ended up finding my freshman year roommate!
When talking to my roommate through facebook, I learned that we were really compatible! We both have similar sleep schedules, we study the same ways, and we even like the same TV shows and movies. I think the most important part of my roommate search was not simply finding someone I could live with, but also finding someone I could be friends with and spend time with too.
Once we moved in together, it was a little awkward at first. We had briefly met up before school started just to start getting to know each other and then before we knew it we had to live in the same small dorm room together. At first we didn’t have much to talk about, but we did spend a lot of time together because neither of us knew anyone else at the school and we lived together so we saw each other quite frequently.
Before classes really took off, we decided to go to all of the events the school hosted for the freshmen. Dances, games, activities, you name it, we did it. While we did not meet many other people through these events, we did become really good friends with each other. We hung out together, got to know each other, and had tons of fun together!
As the year went on, we would walk to classes, eat at the dining hall, and hang out on the weekends together. We weren’t just roommates, but best friends. We did everything together by choice and we always had a great time and learned to see eye to eye. After being roommates for the entire school year, we decided to continue living together in an apartment off campus for two more years and I can proudly say that she is my best friend.
Having a roommate made my college experience unforgettable. I could not imagine going through my first year of college without her by my side. I hope that the next year of incoming freshmen can find a roommate who grows to be your best friend because it will make your college experience a great one!
Here are some tips that I followed to land a fantastic college roommate.
1. Important things in your routine
Sleep schedules, going to the gym, whether you want people to hang out in your dorm or not, homework and study schedules, whether you want the dorm quiet or noisy when you study, etc. Think about how you live and try to find someone who has the same routine!
2. Your favorite things to do
It is helpful to find a roommate who likes the same things as you. If you like to go rock climbing and camping try to find an outdoorsy roommate who will adventure with you. If you like to play video games, watch netflix, or read try to find a roommate to binge watch that new netflix series with you.
3. What you’re going to major in
If you find a roommate who wants to study the same things as you, it could be very helpful. If you anticipate having a hard major, finding a roommate taking the same classes as you will give you an automatic study buddy! Not to mention you can motivate each other to do well on the next exam!
4. Your personality types
It is important to find someone who has a compatible personality to yours. For example, my roommate was more particular and I was more relaxed, so we did not have many problems with living together. Try to find someone who will compliment your personality and way of living.
If you are on the messy side, maybe try to find someone who doesn’t mind having a mess once in a while. If you tend to like things neat and organized try to find someone who likes it the same way!
College is a fun and exciting time and so is finding a roommate! Making roommate searching into a fun positive experience and finding someone who fits your lifestyle is a sure way to find a roommate and a new friend!
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