Finding a College Roommate 101

When my mother was in college her roommate was obsessed with Cat Steven’s and played it on an endless loop in their dorm room. While not a problem today, this was before the time of headphones. At some point the constant playing of “Teaser and the Firecat” got to her and now Cat Stevens can never be played in our house or on any road trip without her getting annoyed. So much for riding the peace train.

I will be attending Colorado State University this fall and have started my own search for a roommate. It is done on an app called RoomSync where you make a bio and try to match up with someone, similar to a dating app. You swipe left or right on someone to decide if you “sync up”, left being yes with a green flash, and right being no with a red flash (harsh, I know). Then you message people you’ve matched with and hopefully find a roommate in the mix. After doing this for a couple weeks I’ve discovered a few tips to make sure you don’t end up with with your own Cat Stevens nightmare.

1. Know your dates (UW)
   1. Many colleges such as the University of Washington have specific dates during which you can sign up for a dorm, room style, or even get a roommate. First priority for dorms at the UW was only May 2nd to May 8th, and while there are still chances to sign up for living spaces, it is a school whose popular dorms fill up fast. Make sure to know your dates as soon as possible so you can have the greatest chance of getting your dream room.
2. Be honest
   1. Do you only clean your room once a decade? Or do want to practice your religion in your room? Are you obsessed with playing Adele out loud? These are all things your roommate should know because they will affect their life as well as yours. Even if they are awkward to bring up at first, make sure you get to them. Or any other important aspects of your life so you can make sure you and your roommate are both okay with them happening in your room.
3. Have leveled expectations about your room
   1. If you’re like me and have lived in your own room your whole life moving into sharing one 24/7 might be an adjustment. You probably will not have as much space as you would living at home and won’t be able to fit as much. This can be compensated for by shopping for small-space friendly storage options such as collapsible chairs or hanging shelves. You can even look on your college’s website before moving in to see how much space you’ll have.
4. Focus on Finding a Roommate, Not a Best Friend
   1. At minimum you only have to coexist with your roommate. If you become best friends for life who braid each other’s hair and gossip every night that’s great. If you simply are respectful of each other’s space and say hello in the morning to each other, that’s great too.
5. Talk to a few people at once
   1. When picking a roommate it’s a good idea to chat with more than one person at a time, they most likely will be doing so too. This way you can have several options to choose from, and if you get ghosted you still have other choices
6. Make mistakes
   1. Zoey Brooks is not the only one to lose the key to her dorm room. Maybe you’ll turn all your clothes pink in the washer, or forget to set your alarm for class. For many living on their own in college it will be their first fully adult experience, and it’s more than okay to slip up along the way. Have fun, make mistakes, and keep your parents on speed dial. Good luck Rough Riders!