Dear Knights,

I thought applying to college and writing my personal statement was difficult. Now trying to find a compatible roommate seems like even more of a struggle. Colleges and Universities suggest joining their Class of 2019 Facebook page so students can find roommates more easily. Although this is a great and resourceful idea, it’s hard to find someone especially when every girl who posts in the University Facebook pages sounds like this:

Hey everyone! My name is ___ and I’m super excited to be going to ____University this fall! I’m from a small town about a couple hours away from my new home. In High School, I was super involved in all of these clubs and I definitely want to be involved at college and go to all the sporting games. I also want to rush, but I’m not completely sure if that will happen yet. My major is ___, and I really am a good student and will study hard, but I also want to go out on the weekends and make a lot of friends. I’m super outgoing and fun, I promise! I also love Netflix, so we can totally binge watch Netflix together! So message me if you’re looking for a roomie!!

Finding a roommate is like dating. The stalking of their Facebook profile pictures, the awkward first couple messages, and then, if you try to hang out with the person, the nerve-wracking first “date.” Finding your perfect match is hard to do when every student who posts sounds the same. Every girl on these pages absolutely loves Netflix and they all want to be good students, but go out on the weekends.  The generic bios are great and show people’s interests, but it doesn’t get to the important aspects that are needed for a compatible roommate, like do you go to bed early or late? Messy or clean? Personality type? Music preference? These are all important questions that should be answered and well-liked by both roommates, but sometimes the Facebook pages can’t answer all those questions.

So what’s a way to find the perfect roommate without posting in the Facebook page? Introducing, RoomSurf.com! It’s like match.com except it’s only for finding a roommate. There are questions that each user answers to help answer those important questions involving interests, campus housing and many more. It also connects to your Facebook account so any of your matches could see your profile picture. RoomSurf.com also eliminates the constant posting and notifications from the Facebook pages that are unnecessary.

Yes, this is starting to sound like a commercial advertisement, but when I first heard about RoomSurf.com, I was elated because I knew that there was another way to find a roommate other than the overwhelming Facebook page. Finding a roommate is intimidating because as you’re talking to the other person, you have to think, “Can I live with her?”

As a senior in high school, I have never had an online conversation with a complete stranger and, a couple weeks or months later, have decided to live with them for a year.

As I head out on this roommate search, I hope RoomSurf.com or even the overwhelming Facebook page can help me find a compatible roommate.

Sincerely,

Siena