Julia Esposito ‘18
EE Staff Writer
Rooming is one of the scariest things to think about when starting college. A lot of time, there is pressure about finding the perfect roommate. Some people are afraid that they just won’t click, and it’ll make rooming difficult and awkward. Overall, the process can be quite stressful, which is why it’s important to not overlook this vital college experience.
Talking to THS alumni has revealed some important lessons when it comes to looking for a roommate. Most importantly, you need to make sure you ask your roommate all of the right questions. The first thing people think when finding a roommate is to try talking to people who have common interests. They don’t think about some of the smaller things; such as what time people wake up, how late they stay awake at night, and how cold or hot they like their room. Simple questions like these are necessary to ask. Otherwise, you might be left irritated at 1 in the morning while your roommate’s still Facetiming a friend.
Then, there’s always the question of picking a random roommate versus finding someone online. For picking random, it can be exciting to be paired with somebody that you may not totally know! It’s definitely more of a risk, since there’s always the possibility that you won’t like your roommate. This is why senior Magda Wiszniewska decided to find a roommate online and says, “I’m glad to have a roommate that I know and have talked to beforehand because it makes me more comfortable going into college.”
Another thing to take note of is whether to have a single or double your first year. For singles, it would offer personal space. At the same time, it may make it harder to make friends and it’s more expensive. For doubles, you will have a companion going into college who may introduce you to other friends they make and allow you to be more immersed in your college community. Having a double is also cheaper and gives you somebody to talk to and hang out with.
` According to senior Mary Mottolese, “I feel like college is the time in your life where you need to take risks, go out of your comfort zone, and most importantly, make new friends.”
Finally, “It’s important to keep an open mind,” says Lena Thomas, an alumni. You never know who you might meet, or what your rooming situation might look like. Never assume an experience will be horrible going in. Also, don’t be too stressed if you and your roommate don’t end up being super close.
According to one alumni, your roommate doesn’t necessarily need to be your best friend – just somebody that you can be comfortable living with. College is truly what you make of it, as almost every alumni will tell you, and the same goes for any rooming situation.