As Benilde-St. Margaret’s students begin their second semester, seniors are beginning to make their college decisions. For those who choose to further their education by attending college, this entails choosing a roommate for the next year.
Picking a roommate is difficult for many reasons. Students generally use social media platforms, such as Instagram or Facebook to find roommates. Creating a post on Instagram that contains a few photos from their personal life, to show other potential students what they enjoy doing, helps students connect. This allows students to find others who are interested in the same things as them. After finding someone with similar interests, they directly message them and begin talking to them further. “I’ve definitely been looking at Instagram to get to know people, but I’m definitely also going to be filling out the roommate sheet [my college] sends out,” senior Sophia DeMars said.
Most BSM students are searching for a roommate similar to themselves. Having a like-minded roommate limits potential conflict as well as strengthens connections between one another. Cleanliness and willingness to be active are two important characteristics senior Chloe Bowers is looking for in a roommate. “I want someone that has a similar personality type as me and probably someone that’s not super lazy all the time, like [they] actually want to go out and do activities with me,” Bowers said.
I want someone that has a similar personality type as me and probably someone that’s not super lazy all the time, like [they] actually want to go out and do activities with me.”
— Chloe Bowers
However, when it comes to picking a roommate with a similar major, BSM students have noticed it doesn’t necessarily matter if you and your roommate share the same major. Having a roommate with a different major allows for various learning opportunities and outside experiences. Allowing you to look at things from a different perspective and connect with people who you would have never connected with before. “I feel like it will be good for me to find someone with a different major so that I can branch out and meet more people,” Bowers said.
On the other hand, there may be a few differences that students are not willing to accept. Living messy can cause a lot of unwanted stress for students, especially when the mess isn’t yours. For students who are often clean and tidy, a roommate who doesn’t pick up after themselves can be a big dealbreaker. “I don’t want a roommate who doesn’t clean up after themselves and somebody who comes home late every night,” DeMars said.