A new campus, unfamiliar faces, and a fresh start—many NASH seniors will soon be facing these experiences as they begin life in college. Before they set foot on campus, however, many try to find a roommate with whom they will spend the rest of the year.

Having someone who is going through the same newness is comforting to many college freshmen. However, this process of finding the perfect roommate is difficult for some, like senior Julia Wonsettler.

“I have begun talking to people on social media a little bit but haven’t actively discussed rooming with anyone yet,” she said.

Some roommate request deadlines are as early as the beginning of May. At many colleges, if a roommate request is not put in, students will be put in a room with a random student. Otherwise, the matches may be made through a questionnaire survey.

The process presents an issue for some students who haven’t yet decided which school they want to attend. By the time they decide on a college, they may only have two weeks to find a roommate, as is the case for Wonsettler.

“I am still deciding between Gannon and Pitt, so I have bigger priorities than finding a roommate right now, unfortunately,” she said.

For those who do not have any friends attending their school, there are other alternatives. Many students now use social media as a way to find a roommate or just a friend to have. There are Instagram pages, Facebook groups, and apps specifically designed for finding a roommate.

“The process of finding a roommate this year is a lot more dependent on social media now,” senior Madison Pittman explained.

Having a friend attend the same college takes away the stress of scavenging for a random roommate. This eliminates the need to download social media apps or join Facebook groups.

Yet, for many NASH seniors, this is not the case. A random roommate, while it certainly can work out, has the potential to end up in disappointment. 

“The roommate process, although I haven’t really started it yet, stresses me out,” Wonsettler said. “There is a chance that I will end up with someone I don’t know well as a roommate, and that is not ideal for me.”

Yet, some seniors aren’t sweating it and plan to go with the flow instead. Senior Karl Fuchs, who will be attending Allegheny College, isn’t worried about who he will be rooming with in the upcoming year.

“I get along with pretty much everyone, so it doesn’t really matter to me who I room with,” he said. “I am just going to wait it out and see if anyone I know is going to Allegheny. If not, a random match is fine with me.”

The roommate process has changed as technology and social media become more prevalent. Snapchatting and messaging have made the process of seeking a roommate much easier.

Whether students room with a friend, someone they see online, or a random stranger, having someone to share experiences with at college is a very valuable thing. College brings about many changes, and many college freshmen navigate this with their newfound roommate.