Decisions, decisions, decisions. As seniors scramble to finalize applications and then ponder multiple acceptances, the process of committing to a college for four years is a tedious one. However, once those deposits are mailed in and the college gear begins clothing all family members (and the dog), there’s a sigh of relief, but it’s not over yet. The search then begins for the person that will share in the first year experience – the roommate.

Fishing a roommate out of a sea of other just as anxious seniors is an overwhelming but manageable task. There are sources specifically designed to make this process easier.

Hop on social media and join the respective Facebook group of your college graduating class. For current seniors forgetting their math due to severe senioritis, that would be the year 2020. Most colleges and universities have a student run group where people can either post a short bio in hopes to find a perfect match or take a non-interactive tour of the many posts by simply reading them. These groups are convenient way to begin looking for what type of roommate coincides with your interests. Most people post their major of study in their bios as well, so that makes the search for a fellow engineer or teacher that much easier.

For those serious about finding a roommate, the next step is to start a conversation. It’s something people do on a daily basis, but somehow people become keyboard shy when it comes to meeting someone new. Everyone is in the same boat, so don’t be afraid to chat with someone who sounds like a good candidate for a roommate or respond to the fellow group member who decided to slide into your messenger.

Having recently taken part in this extensive search for a roommate myself, the redundancy of posts became overwhelming. The majority of girls’ posts consisted of “rushing a sorority!” or “finding a gym buddy!” or “sharing clothes with my roommate who I hope becomes my BFF!” When everyone appears to be clones of one another, it becomes hard to recognize someone’s actual personality. That’s why further communication is so important.

If the idea of using Facebook to find a roommate causes increased sweating and heartburn, there are many other avenues to obtain a roommate. Chances are, you aren’t the only one in your graduating class attending your school. Ask around in classes and find a fellow peer who is in need of a roommate. In a completely new atmosphere, being with a familiar person can be comforting. Conversation about high school becomes very relatable and maybe a car pool can be arranged when it’s time for breaks.

However be warned, sharing a space with someone you know can put serious strains on a former friendship. It is rumored that the extensive amount of time spent together can turn the closest friends into bickering tenants. Being friends is one thing, but trying to muddle through the mysteries of freshman year together (while living in a little box) may not be the best way to enjoy each other’s company.

As another convenience to those looking for a roommate, Roomsurf is an online site to help pair those with others who share their interests. After answering a short questionnaire, this program provides results that it believes would best match your preferences. This saves the time of weaving through the hundreds of short bios posted in Facebook groups.

All of the previous options are great, but there is always the choice to take the rooming situation completely out of your hands and into the programmed computer option of “random”. In this case, the college or university will pair you with other students registered into this lottery regardless of compatibility. Yes, this can alleviate some stress over finding a roommate out of the wide selection of future students, yet it also runs the risk of pairing you with an incompatible partner.

The roommate quest provides many different paths to match up with another eager freshman. Hopefully, the two of you begin to weave through the first year of college together as you make memories to last forever.

The only real way to know your roommate inside and out is to live side by side with them for an entire year. Sadly, not all things go according to plan and there are always ways to avoid the roommate if this occurs. Spend extended hours at the library, do homework in an eatery or coffee shop on campus, or maybe just veg out in a friend’s dorm. Just don’t allow your roommate to ruin your freshman year.

Good luck fellow seniors in your rooming roulette. From the most compatible roommates to the least, I hope freshman year is one to remember.