The method for finding college roommates is evolving. Instead of meeting students on the first day, seniors are now choosing roommates ahead of time.
Every college’s incoming class has its own Instagram account, where each student can introduce themselves to future classmates. They DM each other personally to get to know one another. Over 50 percent of the class of 2025 preselected their roommate.
Charlotte Hofstein is a senior at Shenendehowa High School, and will study civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute next year. She is planning to live on campus in a double.
“I want to choose my roommate ahead of time because I’m not leaving it up to random selection so I get stuck with someone who doesn’t shower,” said Hofstein.
Hofstein is having trouble with the process of finding a roommate. The girl she wants to room with “didn’t want to do the work” of finding someone, so she is trying to convince her to redo the roommate selection form.
“She lives in California in San Jose. I was just looking at the committed sports for RPI, ’cause I wanted to live with someone else from a different sport, and I saw her name, ” Hofstein said.
The girl from California is still Hofstein’s first choice. Another potential roommate she messaged was “a little eccentric,” so her search continues.
Vanessa Lin, a current Shenendehowa senior, is in the process of finding a roommate for college.
After Lin posted her commitment, numerous people reached out to her through Instagram and messaged about the possibility of being roommates.
“That’s sort of how I found my roommate at Binghamton, but I think at first it was very difficult; And, like, the more options you have, the more difficult it gets,” said Lin.
Since Binghamton undergraduate admissions releases decisions through a rolling basis, some students may register for housing before others. Thus, potential roommates may already be taken.
According to Lin, “I asked a lot of people and I feel like I started too late because everyone already had a roommate even before I asked them.”
Lin is currently committed to Binghamton but got off the waitlist at Stonybrook recently.
“I’m not sure if I want to go to Stonybrook so I’m still deciding. The one girl that was supposed to be my roommate at Bing, she DM’d me yesterday, because we’re in the same boat. We both got off the waitlist for Stony Brook so if I choose to go there, I’m going to room with her,” said Lin.
Veda Chakilam is committed to UMass Amherst and currently does not have a roommate. She has been looking on the Class of 2030 Instagram page and contacting potential students.
“I’m looking for, ideally a morning person, and as long as they’re pretty organized, that’s pretty much all I need,” said Chakilam.
UMass Amherst also offers doubles or suites for incoming freshmen.
“I think a double fits more of my style and it just seems more chill,” said Chakilam.
