It’s that time of year again when high school seniors are making a decision that will decide the fate of the next big step in their life. On top of the pressure to decide on a perfect dream school, they’re coping with the fact that everything they’ve known for the past thirteen years of their life is about to change.
They’re preparing to leave home, leave their school, leave their pets and their best friends. These friends are the ones who got them through the drama and obstacles they faced in high school. And on top of all that is the treacherous search for a picture-perfect roommate. After finally choosing a school, sometimes even before the decision has been made, incoming freshman flood their university’s Facebook page.
Students flock to social media to find their “college bestie.” Posts including the fact that they love to work out and would love to have a gym buddy are nothing but normal. For those who don’t frequent the gym as often sharing your favorite Netflix shows and what you like to do on weekends is the norm.
I remember myself in the shoes of a high school senior just one year ago. I fell into a trap where I was stuck believing the stigma that your roommate would be and almost had to be, your very best friend. I, like many of my peers, thought that my roommate would be the one to fill in for my hometown, lifelong friends who helped me through high school.
However, I wasn’t very persistent in my online roommate search, and ultimately ran out of time to hand pick the ideal “roomie.” I ended up going through the random roommate selection process, and although the thought of living with a complete stranger was ever so daunting, I survived!
My roommate and I got along just fine. We never became the best of friends like I once believed we would, but co-existing with her was not a chore. In a way, I’m glad we weren’t super close because it gave me the opportunity to go out and form relationships with other groups of people and form relationships within organizations on campus.
I could spend as much time as I wanted with other people, and when I was ready to go back to my room and relax, I had my roommate their to chit-chat with and catch up, but I wasn’t spending all of my time with her.
That’s not to say we never had our differences of opinion or that we never got sick of each other. Who doesn’t want some alone time every once in a while? Freshman year is a huge adjustment for everyone involved, but even if you don’t get the chance to mold your own flawless and exemplary roommate, simply co-existing with someone isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen.
It is a beautiful thing to live with your best friend and have someone you get along with perfectly, but that scenario is extremely rare. It is okay to not love your roommate and spend every second with them. You do not need to hand pick the perfect roommate to have a good college experience.