Every year, seniors grapple with the struggle of finding a roommate. While some may spend hours curating their Instagram feed, carefully vetting potential roommates, others decide to leave it up to fate. Some may even decide to room with another South student.
At South, 59 percent of students chose their own roommates, 14 percent decided on random roommates, and 10 percent are rooming with another student at South, according to a non-scientific survey of 316 students conducted by The Oracle. For students choosing their own roommate, the most popular platform to find roommates was Instagram, with 56 percent of students finding matches there, and Snapchat following behind, with almost 10 percent, according to the survey.
Senior Ishana Shah, who committed to Georgetown University, found her roommate looking at another high school’s Instagram commitment page. Most colleges have Instagram pages designed to help make roommate matches, she said. By uploading pictures and a small blurb containing information about their major, interests, and hobbies, students can find others they see themselves rooming with, she explained.
“I found that finding my roommate on social media was the best option,” Shah said. “Knowing a little about a person based on their social media seemed less risky than going random.”
Since connecting through social media can be difficult, asking good questions is key, Shah explained.
“If there’s certain things you’re specific or worried about, you need to know if you guys are compatible,” Shah said. “You should ask about sleeping habits, social life, and activities they plan to be involved in.”
Senior Michael Uhlemann, on the other hand, found that choosing to have a random roommate was the best decision. Wanting to live in a specific honors college floor at the University of Cincinnati, he prioritized a living space over trying to find someone with the same preferences as him.
“[Do] not feel like you need to find a roommate online,” Uhlemann said. “The option to find a roommate on Instagram instead of going random is a relatively new thing, and most students, including your parents, probably never had that option. I’ve talked to a lot of alumni, and from their experiences, it sounds like whether you go random or find someone on Instagram, you have to accept the risk that you’re not going to vibe with your roommate [and] be prepared to coexist.”
Seniors Leah Plasterer and Kathleen Sawyer first met in choir their freshman year. As their friendship progressed over the years and they both committed to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), they decided to be roommates.
“I was on Instagram looking for matches, and I found the whole process very stressful,” Plasterer said. “When I heard Kathleen was going to [UIUC], I thought it was really convenient. We’ve been best friends all of high school, so it was a no-brainer.”
The roommate search will look different for everyone, Shah said. However, learning to communicate preferences and being comfortable being in touch with others is universal, she explained.
“Be open and don’t be afraid to reach out to people,” Shah said. “Even if you’re scared to [direct message] people, it doesn’t hurt to reach out because even if you don’t end up rooming, you can still be friends.”
