Main image courtesy of Lighthouse College Planning.

If you’re planning to start college in the fall, chances are you have a lot on your mind the summer before. You’ve got to consider how you’re going to decorate your dorm room, what your course schedule will look like, and how you’re going to coordinate move in day. But perhaps the biggest unknown that looms over the summer before freshman year is how to find a roommate. After all, this is the person you will be sharing your personal space with over the course of the next academic year. 

If you’ve asked friends and family who have graduated from college, chances are they’ve had one of two experiences with their freshman roommate: they either got along great, or it was a less than stellar experience. Of course you want to avoid the uncomfortable experience of not really meshing with your roommate, which is why this decision can be particularly stressful.

But we’re here to help! In this article we’re going to discuss:

• How to create a list of qualities you’d like in a roommate
• Some questions to consider asking any potential roommate
• How to find a roommate for your freshman year

Create a list of qualities you’d like in a roommate

Decide what qualities are important to you for a future roommate to have

Since this is your first time living away from home and with someone other than your family, it’s okay if you’re a little anxious about this whole process. Starting school, living in an entirely new environment, and having to worry about grades are already a lot of items on your plate. Adding finding someone to live with freshman year is just another task to add to your list. But, if you’re prepared, you won’t have to worry! That’s why we can’t stress enough taking a few extra steps beforehand to make sure you know what you want out of a college roomie. 

Step #1 Create a list of qualities you’d like to see in a roommate

Take some time and sit with what you think are qualities that you’d like to see in a roommate. There are many things to consider, but here are some of the most important:

• What type of personality should they have? Of course this is a very broad question, as the personality of a stranger can be hard to determine at first. But you can base this on your past experience. What are the kind of people that you like being around? How would you describe the personalities of your friends? Are there introverts or extroverts? This is all helpful in laying out a few key qualities you’d like a future roomie to have. Things like a sense of humor, friendliness, integrity, and loyalty are all positive parts of someone’s personality.

• How do they plan on conducting their studies? Should they seem to be driven towards reaching a specific goal, or are they a little unsure what they’re going to specialize in at school? While it’s perfectly fine to be either, this still gives you something to think about. A more driven individual may be really concentrated on their studies, so you wouldn’t expect to see them as often. Just keep this in mind if you’d rather have someone around and available that you can easily talk to.

• Where do they need to be on the cleanliness spectrum? While it may seem a little trivial at first, make sure to ask yourself what you’re willing to deal with when it comes to cleanliness. You’re going to be sharing a small space with someone else, so make sure they are at least in the same general area when it comes to how you like your space to be. You don’t have to hash out a chore schedule just yet, but get an idea of whether they prefer a tidy room or don’t mind more of a mess.

• Do their ideas of relaxing sound good to you? While you don’t have to share all the same interests with someone to like them and live with them, it would help to get an idea of what they like to do to relax. If they like having parties and hanging out with lots of friends, make sure you’d be okay with that. Alternatively, if they prefer to read, or go home on the weekends, that’s also important to keep in mind.

Consider some questions to ask your potential roommate

Prepare a few questions to ask any future roomie

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Now that you’re a little more comfortable with what you’d like to find in a roommate, it’s time to gather some questions before you go about hunting for one. We suggest starting earlier rather than later when it comes to preparing both the qualities you expect in a roommate, as well as a list of questions to ask them. That way you’re not scrambling at the end and feeling overwhelmed by the task. 

You probably already have an answer to these questions, so make sure you offer your response as well!

Step #2 Create a roommate quiz with questions aimed at getting to know their habits a little better

1. Are you a morning or night person?
2. Are you a deep or light sleeper?
3. What are your pet peeves?
4. What are your feelings on guests?
5. How do you deal with conflicts?
6. What are your feelings on sharing items?
7. Would you prefer to coordinate our decor?
8. Have you bought any big ticket items yet like a TV, microwave, coffee maker, futon, fridge, etc.?
9. What clubs, sports, or activities do you plan to join?
10. Do you sleep with noise (TV or music)?
11. Where do you plan on studying?

These are just some of the questions (important ones though!) you should always ask anyone you speak to about becoming your roomie. So now that you’re all prepared, it’s time to do it, to find a roommate for your freshman year! 

How to find a roommate freshman year 

The best ways to find a roommate for freshman year of college

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If you’re looking for a roommate for freshman year, we suggest getting to it as soon as you can. Why? Because not only do you have two steps to do in order to prepare (see above) but you can’t expect all the avenues you try to lead to the right candidates for you. Like anything worthwhile, this may take some time, so as long as you know that, you should be just fine. This part of the roommate journey takes some research and it may take some networking too, but those are both skills that will serve you well in college and beyond. 

Room with a friend from home

Do you know someone from your high school or from the surrounding area that’s going to the same school? This is a great way to find a college roommate. If you can’t think of someone off the top of your head, expand your search. Ask your parents if they know anyone with kids attending the same school, or even ask the parents of your friends. While you might not know the person directly, having a friend or family member vouch for them is a good place to start.

‍Keep in mind: When you choose to go this route, you may be limiting your ability to branch out and meet new people. There’s nothing wrong with doing this, just make sure you’ll spend the extra effort to put yourself out there and speak to new people all over campus!

Allow your school to match you

This is most likely how your parents got their roommates freshman year in college. Back in the day, you really didn’t have a choice, and your school would assign first year students a roommate(s) either based on the answers to an assessment form, or just randomly. While yes, having a roommate chosen at random can seem a little intimidating, there are some benefits to choosing to go this route. For one, it takes you out of your comfort zone. And in college, you can expect to do this a lot. Plus, it may pair you with someone you wouldn’t normally be exposed to but you shared similar responses on the assessment form.

For some schools, this is the only way freshmen can get roommates, so be sure to double check with your school’s policy.

‍Keep in mind: If you allow your school to match you, then you’ll need to make sure you find out the deadline to complete your housing questionnaire. Answer the questions honestly because this will influence who you’re matched with. While nothing is guaranteed, the school will try to pair people who seem compatible based on their answers.

Join a roommate social media group

There are all kinds of Facebook groups that are either run by the school or the students already there. You can check it out and see if there are groups specifically designed for freshmen looking for roommates. Make sure if you post in the group you are very detailed about what you’re looking for. You may get lots of responses, but we recommend you reply only to those that you might think would be a good match. 

‍Keep in mind: Not everyone on the internet is who they say they are. So if you want to go this route, make sure you’re diligent about doing your research. If you do happen to find some matches, make sure you meet in person, do a video chat, or a phone call in order to get a better feel for their personality—and to make sure they are who you expect them to be! You can also use this opportunity to ask them some of the potential roomie questions we listed above.

Use roommate matching websites

Check with your school to see if they have a specific online platform for students to find roommates. This is a great option because you know it’s run by your university, which means everyone is there for the same purpose—to find roommates!

If your school doesn’t have a roommate platform, not to worry, there are other roommate-finding sites out there that cater to college students.

You could try posting a profile on:

• Roomsurf
• Roomsync
• The Roomie App
• College Pads

All of these sites operate a little differently (one even like a dating app with a swipe option!) but they all are designed to help you narrow your search for roommates at your school. 

Check into themed dorms

Some schools offer “themed dorms,” which are dorms that house students that fall into a specific category. You could reach out to your school’s residence life department and see if any of these dorms exist, and ask how you could find a roommate. Schools sometimes have dorms that cater to:

• Black or minority students
• Students with a particular major (STEM, architecture, fine arts, etc.)
• LGBTQ+ students
• All women

If your school does offer these, it’s a great way to room with someone who is similar to you and shares your interests. 

‍Keep in mind: Make sure you still make the effort to broaden your horizons when it comes to meeting new people!

There’s no one correct way to find a freshman roommate, and we’re lucky enough to have a few options in order to do so. Just make sure you’re prepared in advance, and then try out a few of these methods. We’re sure you’ll find the right freshman roommate for you!