Now that many universities offer the chance to choose a roommate for your freshman year, getting accepted is only the first step in a series of networking attempts. By using social media platforms, mutual connections and more, Staples seniors are finding their roommates in different ways, yet many note the difficulty of building strong connections through a screen.

Romy Nusbaum ’22 will be attending Emory University in the fall and found her future roommate through a mutual friend. After texting and then meeting in-person a few times, they ultimately decided to room together. While she is excited for her new living situation, Nusbaum notes the stress of the process.

“There was definitely pressure to find a roommate quickly, which was pretty stressful,” Nusbaum said. “I also wanted to be with someone I got along with, and it can initially be hard to tell when talking online.”

Seniors have also turned to Instagram to find roommates. Many schools have Instagram accounts where people post photos with information about themselves. This helps incoming students find others with similar interests. Abby Logan ’22 will be attending Lehigh University this fall and met her roommate on Instagram.

“It is a little bit tough to find a roommate on social media considering all you have to go off of is the pictures they post,” Logan said. “However, once our conversation started we clicked and found similar interests.”

Madison Futoma ’22 is going to Lynn University and will be rooming with two other incoming students. She started talking to them using the social media platform Snapchat and found it challenging to create a bond without in-person contact. 

“It’s hard enough to form friendships with people you want to live with so quickly, but it is even harder to do so on the internet,” Futoma said. “Everyone is always on their best behavior online and may not be genuine.”

On the contrary, Molly Liles ’22, attending Wake Forest University, does not have the opportunity to choose her roommate. Instead, the university will match students together using an algorithm based on assignment software.

“I am much happier that I don’t have to pick my roommate because I can start the year fresh,” Liles said. “Everyone will be in the same position when we get there.”