With this school year coming to an end, seniors are finally deciding where they will spend the next four years of their life. Making the decision of where to attend college also comes with the decision of finding a roommate. Many seniors have anxiety about ensuring that their roommate is a good match for them.

“It felt like online dating honestly, because you have to write about yourself, and it’s awkward having to message people and make small talk,” senior Molly Heym said. “It was nice, I met a lot of new people through [Facebook] who aren’t my roommate.”

There are many different ways to meet roommates at the college of your choice, such as Facebook groups, Roomsurf matching services, and matching services provided by the school itself. Most matching services match roommates who have a lot in common – from preferred room temperature to cleanliness and lifestyle choices.

“My roommate and I are both non-meat eaters! She’s vegan and I’m a vegetarian,” senior Emily Bubnis said. “The two of us are very open minded and we constantly have deep talks. We both have very similar taste in music and shows.”

Some students don’t have as much of an issue finding a roommate, opting for an easier route. Senior Leo Tuenker found his roommate at NC State University through the NC State matching service, NC State InSync, and wasn’t nervous about the roommate process.

Tuenker said. “We only talked for a day. I’m pretty low maintenance and so is he – so hopefully it’ll work out.”

Through social media, roommates are able to connect across cities and states and get to know each other much better.

“I had fun meeting her, and it was nice to meet her in person because she’s not from here, so it’s nice to meet people from different places,” Heym said. “I’m excited to have someone to study with and hang out with and eat with and to just have a new really good friend.”

It is extremely important to find a roommate to connect with and share a lot of commonalities with.

“Well apparently my roommate is very clean, and she loves to clean so hopefully my room will always be clean,” senior Kendall Thompson said. “Really just to have fun and live with someone other than my parents [is what I’m looking forward to].”

Attempting to find a roommate is a nerve-wracking process for all students, but with every attempt, it gets a little easier to open up and helps make the transition from high school to college a little less stressful.

“It has definitely made the transition process easier. Going into an unfamiliar place alone can be terrifying but going in knowing you automatically have a friend there makes you feel so much safer,” Bubnis said. “Having found a roommate also opens the door to having the confidence to meet new people and make new friends.”

Finding a roommate is a pivotal part of beginning the journey from high school to college. Getting the courage to get out there is scary, but with opening up to new people comes the possibility to gain some new friends.

“After messaging a couple of people it got a whole lot easier and I felt a lot more confident in approaching people and sending the first message,” Bubnis said. “I had talked to a couple of people before finding my roommate and when I finally started talking to her it was so natural. I felt like I could be myself.”