Cloudy with a Chance of Finding The Perfect Roomie

Whether it’s your first year of college, first year living on campus, or you’re looking for a new roommate because your last one didn’t work out, the roommate situation can be daunting. If you aren’t rooming with someone you knew before rooming with them, there’s so much that goes into the roommate search. How compatible are your personalities, are they a morning or night person, can they clean up after themselves, etc? Having a roommate that you click well with is incredibly important to your college experience. While it is partially up to fate, a negative roommate experience can botch the other parts of your college life, whether that is socially or academically. Don’t be too frightened though because even with a bad roomie, there are ways to combat issues that may arise, though we won’t go too into detail on that right now.

Searching for a roommate can be daunting as you’re unaware of how to even find people, especially if you’re going to an institution where you know no one. I went through a similar thing and unfortunately had to select a random roommate because I had waited too long. I do not suggest risking it if you don’t have to. If you’re searching for a roommate, but don’t know where to start, there are multiple avenues you can take. Oftentimes, your school will have a portal or website to search for a roommate. This may be one place to start. Another way is through Instagram accounts dedicated to your class at your institution. One way to search is to search “(College Name) (Class Year)” or “(College Name) Class of (Year)”. This is a quick way to find people who may have similar interests to you. You may also be interested in creating a post for yourself while mentioning you are looking for a roomie. This may attract like-minded people. If you aren’t ready to make a post for yourself, scroll through the Instagram page and DM anyone you’d possibly like to try to have as a roomie. I am attaching a list of questions that you can use to decide how compatible you are with any person you are thinking about having as a roommate here. If you feel these aren’t enough, definitely Google some more lists. My favorites are asking about their daily routine and how early/late they stay up? There was a theme of people I knew who were paired with people who had the exact opposite schedule as them, so it disturbed both roommates as they were trying to sleep or made it hard to be productive when the lights had to be off for one person.

Once you’ve found a roommate, you may decide you need to discuss rules regarding living together. This can include chores, divvying up who brings the shared items for your dorm, and creating a schedule or some way where you are updated on what the other is up to. For keeping each other updated, there’s so many cute whiteboards people will use or a sign where you simply move the clips. You can find those on Pinterest or TikTok. Feel free to DIY something.

If you’re able to find a roomie who becomes your best friend, you’ll honestly be set for all four years. Oftentimes, it takes trial and error, so you may choose to room with someone else in the coming years. Don’t sweat it though and have an open mind when it comes to your roommate, especially if you choose to do a random roommate selection. This will allow your year to go by with ease. I had a suitemate who I was closest to and she ended up going to the gym with me multiple times throughout the year. Finding the perfect roomie may not go right the first time, but you will always be able to make the best of it. Don’t let those TikToks scare you. We hope your search for a roommate brings you your bestie and maybe even your new gym buddy!