Here are 15 ideas for you to consider before meeting your random roommate before your freshman year of college. Now, I can't promise this is a sure-fire way to become best friends with your roommate... but from experience, I can honestly say I found a forever friend in my random roommate.
1. Meet before you move in
If you're like us... it will be terrible and awkward. But it feels better matching a face to your future roommate. Plus the most awkward part is over, and now all you have to do is share a small dorm room with a complete stranger.
2. Go to your first college event together
DSI. Destination Iowa State. Once you put that drawstring bag on... you put a target on your back that tells everyone you're a freshman. Realizing that you and your roommate have made a few friends, got a few free T-shirts, you're good to go.
3. First weekend, find a party
Get all of your new friends, get ready together, and go to that party. You're freshmen, so it's new for all of you. If you're lucky, this is where you and your roommate will become best friends.
4. Be a "wingman"
Know when your friend needs your help and know when to walk away... and if you've found the perfect roommate, they'll do the same for you.
5. Have late-night talks
She gets it. College is hard. Boys suck. You miss home. She's feeling the same way. Having late night talks with your roomie is what makes you closer and shows you that you're not alone.
6. Understand that no one is perfect
She'll make mistakes, but so will you... "no one is perfect" is what you learn early on with roommates.
7. Appreciate more than you complain
Staying up late talking about life, picking her up because she can't drive, making dinner, cleaning, crying over guys or school... appreciate the little times spent together and just be there for her. If you have a good roomie, she'll do the same for you.
8. Party together
Some of the most memorable times you'll have are just going out and having fun. These memories will likely consist of embarrassing pictures/videos that you will later laugh at.
9. Do random/crazy stuff together
Whether driving to Walmart at midnight because you're craving hot dogs or partying the night before a test, your roommate should be right next to you during all of these occasions.
10. Show them you miss them
You know what I did when my roommate left me for the summer? I cried. Then went to visit her about 2 or 3 weeks after she moved out. If you feel the same, know that you have the perfect roommate.
11. Be a Leslie Knope
If your best friend doesn't give you confidence the way Leslie Knope does for Anne Perkins... are they really your best friend?
12. Be open and honest
You'll fight — hopefully not all of the time — but if something is bothering you, better to let it out than bottle it up. My roommate and I had an argument about the dishwasher... and a spider that no one wanted to kill (the spider disappeared and since my roommate slept on a futon I slept on the lofted bed above it.)
13. It's okay to fight
Borrow each other's clothes. Make fun of each other. Act like she's your sister. Argue, fight, punch each other. Fight while going upstairs, try to lock the other one out of the dorm room. As long as you both will get over it... what's the harm?
14. Laugh at each other
You are living in a tiny room; you have to be able to laugh at one another. She fell down stairs going into a dining hall. I fell outside when it was icy. Was the first thing we did was ask if she was okay? Nope. We both died laughing.
15. Take a road trip
Whether you need to go to the grocery store or just want to get out of the room, ask your roommate to come! You never know, it could go from driving to the store to driving to each other's hometown for visits!
Understand that this plan is not fool proof; some roommates are just not meant to be paired together, and it's okay to switch. But if you're anything like me, you will get paired up with the perfect random roommate during your freshman year of college.
And boom... you two will magically become best friends.
