You would think the stress would be over when you choose a college to attend, but not quite! Choosing a roommate can be just as stressful. Teachers, parents, and current college students will tell you that you should not room with your best friend. For some, that may be true, but for others, not so much.

Some people are perfectly compatible and would have no problem living together. There are definitely pros to living with a friend. For one, you know their habits, their likes, their dislikes, and whether they snore. You would have someone by your side and someone to confide in after you move in, start classes, and begin meeting new people. You would not have to worry about not knowing someone or being stuck in awkward situations. Cons include getting annoyed with one another, getting in a fight, making different friends, or finding out you have differing interests.

Branching out and rooming with a random person may be the move for you! Pros to this include immediately making a new friend and putting yourself out there for a new adventure. However, there are possible cons if you take this route. Although rooming with someone you do not know can be a good thing, it could also end badly. Stats show that there is a greater chance of you liking your roommate rather than not, but you may end up not being compatible. That is just a chance you would have to be willing to make. Unlike a friend, you do not know everything about them.

Here are some steps for what to do if you decide you want to branch out and not room with a friend:

• Join your college’s Facebook group.
• Type a short bio about yourself that includes your name, where you live, major, and some interests. You may want to include your Instagram name if you do not use Facebook as much.
• Upload a few pictures to post with the bio.
• Post it!
• Wait for Facebook messages or follow requests from people interested in being a roommate or friend!
• If you are interested as well, talk to them for a few days. Get to know a little bit about them to make sure they are not crazy.
• If you click then you have yourself a roommate! If not, keep waiting and searching. You will find one you are similar too!

I did these steps and found three amazing roommates! We contacted each other saying we had similar interests and talked for a few days to kind of get to know each other’s interests. Now, I talk to them every day! I never would have guessed joining the Facebook group would have allowed me to find roommates so fast. Personally, I knew I did not want to room with a friend because I wanted to meet new people right away and get a fresh start. Everybody is different and wants different things. Hopefully this helps those who want to branch out! I wish you the best of luck!