Finding the perfect person to room with can be a challenge. College is the perfect opportunity to meet new people and find your lifelong best friends. Emily DeMaagd, a current senior at Florida State University (FSU), talks about her experience as a freshman and how she found the perfect roommate.
Her Campus (HC): What do you look for in a roommate?
Emily DeMaagd (ED): When looking for a roommate, I wanted someone who was organized and enjoys cleaning as much as I do. It was also extremely important for me to have a roommate who is very motivated regarding schoolwork. Throughout the years, I have learned that when I have a roommate who takes school as seriously as I do, it makes it a lot easier to live in an enclosed space together.
HC: When you were an incoming freshman, how did you find your roommate?
ED: I found my freshman year roommate on the FSU Facebook page! She initially reached out to me because we were both in the same program at school and were living in the same dorm. Once we started talking, we realized we had a lot in common. She was an out-of-state student, so I was really excited to show her around Florida and make her feel welcomed in Tallahassee. We FaceTimed a few times before we got to Tally to make sure we coordinated our decorations in our dorm!
HC: Do you and your freshman year roommate still talk?
ED: Yes! She is now one of my best friends and we have lived together every year since we were freshman. We got along so well freshman year and now we are inseparable. Currently, I live with five girls and two of them are my best friends who I am going to room with next year as well.
ED: Setting ground rules with someone who is a complete stranger to you can be a hard thing to do. The best advice I would give to someone is to just sit down together and talk about things that nicely bother you. This might feel awkward, but that way everything is out in the open and it prevents miscommunications down the line. Having an understanding of the way both of you like things to be will allow you to respect each other’s surroundings without stepping on each other’s toes. However, this can be easier to do with some roommates compared to others.
HC: Do you have any tips for incoming freshmen who are nervous about living with someone new?
ED: You should give everyone a chance! College is your time to meet new people and try new things. Living with someone new is a part of the experience that comes with it! It’s okay to be nervous, but you have to realize that everyone is in the same boat as you. People come into college wanting to make new friends and sometimes that means stepping out of your comfort zone to make it happen. I didn’t know my freshman year roommate before attending FSU, and now she is someone with who I will be friends for the rest of my life!
HC: What advice would you give someone on how to make friends during their first year in college?
ED: Be bold. Step out of your comfort zone and say hi to the people around you. Take every opportunity to talk to people in your class, because they could be great people to study with in the future. Another thing that helped me throughout the past few years was joining clubs and participating in activities around campus. These are going to be the people you have things in common with.
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