Most incoming college freshmen have probably either found a future roomie on social media or clicked "random" on housing contracts this spring. You might be feeling a little nervous to go random, but I went random my sophomore year and it ended up being one of the best living arrangements yet. This is my story:
Let's start at the very beginning. Freshman year, I had a great roommate. (Shout out to Olivia!) After talking through social media, asking each other important questions, and meeting over the summer, we were beyond excited to begin college life together. We quickly became friends and met other friends down the hall and around our dorm. Life in Newman Hall S110 was never boring and I couldn't have asked for a better freshman year dorm experience. I am glad we met over social media and could get to know each other first before we started the next chapter of our lives. When it came to choosing rooms the following year, my friends and I wanted to stay in Newman Hall (because it rocks) but switch to the north side with newer, nicer, suite-style rooms. Four of us signed the contract for a suite on the second floor, but as life has different paths for everyone, by the time freshman year ended, one friend transferred schools and another decided to live elsewhere.
Amanda Brennan
Aaaand then there were two. Sarah and I decided to be paired with two other girls to live with. Hey, at least we had each other. We would have our own room, they would have theirs, and we were only sharing a bathroom and living room area.
It seems uncommon to go random after your first year, but with friends in their own rooms as RAs, friends living in their sorority houses, and others renting their first apartments, it's more common than you think.
Flash forward a few months to sophomore year move-in, Sarah and I were all moved into our room and the other two girls would be moving in within the next week. Once the four of us were all there, we stayed up late talking the first few nights, helped each other set up the room and hit it off. This only grew stronger and stronger as the year went on. Soon, we were bonding over boy bands, chick flicks and the idea of informally rushing.
I met their friends, they met mine, we went to Kams, we watched movies, we played "Friends" Trivia games, we created bucket lists, and created lists of our god tier Shawn Mendes, 5SOS and Harry Styles songs. These two random roommates, Annie and Greta, became two of my favorite people. People I didn't know I needed in my life.
This made having sophomore year cut short even harder, knowing I didn't have two more fun-filled months with Sarah, Annie and Greta in 2113. Our late-night shenanigans were coming to a close too fast and too soon. I knew I would be sad to move out, but erasing our movie bucket list off of our whiteboard, closing the door and walking away so abruptly was even harder knowing I shared so many amazing experiences with my great roommates in that room. I wish we could've done more.
Erasing the lists :(Amanda Brennan
Don't be afraid to go random. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had not gone random before, but it was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. Having a friend transfer and another one live somewhere else on campus ended up being a blessing in disguise. I am still great friends with both and we all keep in touch regularly, but not living with them allowed me to meet two new, amazing, sweet, "god tier" friends.
Thank you, Sarah, Annie and Greta for making sophomore year one of the best years ever. #SAGA signing out.
Amanda and SarahAmanda Brennan
