With seniors’ high school years drawing to a close and a large majority heading off to college, the biggest debate in the senior cafe is whether to pick a roommate or to go with random university assignment.

When it comes to your roommate there is a lot to think about.  Roommates are the ones who you will be sleeping in the same room as for the next year, and depending on how close you are, sharing food, clothes, books, study space, computers, and more as well. For this reason, it is crucial that you take the time to pick a roommate that you are compatible with and who will make your freshman year as easy as possible.

Most colleges give you the option of a random roommate or picking your own. If you choose random roommate they often have you fill out a short survey around ten questions that will help them match you. These questions involve sleeping and studying patterns. But in these few questions how can you trust the college to match you up with someone who is compatible? This person will become almost as close as a sibling while you share a room for an entire year. By putting that relationship in the hands of the college you are at risk for a big disaster.  Chatting online with different people on Facebook you can find out more about them then those ten questions and find someone who is truly a match for you.

Not only do people want a roommate who matches their sleeping or study patterns, people are looking for different relationships with their roommate. While some are searching for a new best friend, others are looking for someone who will stay out of their way but they get along well with. When the college chooses your roommate for you they don’t take these factors into consideration

When it comes to your roommate you are looking for someone who is compatible with you but not someone who is going to end up being obsessed with you or hating every bone in your body. Although some people are bound to get a roommate who it just doesn’t work out with, there is one way to potentially avoid this conflict and that is picking your roommate.

Senior Matt Gentile says, “It’s in your control, you can choose someone who has the same interests as you and someone that you get along with.”

Nowadays there are multitudes of ways in which one can pick their roommate. Facebook groups are created for each incoming class in which people typically post a small bio about themselves in which they include likes, dislikes, habits, etc. Facebook is also a great way to pick a roommate because not only can you view that small bio, you can also view an individual’s entire history back to embarrassing middle school days to see what they are really like.

Senior Nikki Begnal has been working on picking her roommate for a while. “I planned to room with a girl but then we met and it didn’t work out. Another girl messaged me on Facebook and we really get along so now we are going to room together. We have been able to talk in depth and really get to know each other to make sure we are compatible.”

Students can also look forward to orientation to find a roommate. With many orientations occurring in early June, it is a great place to meet someone face to face and get to know them. This takes out the potential for a “catfish” moment on the internet and provides you with a real look at who you will get along with. Most schools will let you request a roommate if you meet someone at orientation whom you would like to room with.

Of course there is a chance that your school does not allow you to select your roommate in which case you must go random. Whichever way you choose to go your roommate will not determine if you enjoy school or not as long as you don’t allow it to.