When I was preparing for college, there were so many thoughts that went through my head. Picking a school, picking classes, picking a dorm style, and then picking a roommate. When choosing a roommate, you hear all the horror and glory stories about first roommates. Having to choose a roommate is hard when you know you have to live with that same person for a year.
I have an older sister who is a few years older than me, and she also attended Michigan State University. My sister went in blind with her freshman year roommate. She said she had a bad roommate, and her experience was similar to others stories I heard, but I had also heard good experiences from other people. I was nervous that I was going to have the same experience as my sister when I also chose to go in blind.
Coming in as a freshman scared me in so many ways. Starting a new life in an unfamiliar place with someone I haven’t met before seemed terrifying, but exciting at the same time. I didn’t know if I would be best friends with my roommate or if we’d co-exist at best, but sometimes you just have to challenge yourself.
So far, my experience has been better than I ever imagined. Obviously, I was nervous at first, not knowing who my assigned roommate was, but soon after I found out who she was, I got her Snapchat and Instagram. We both moved in on the same day, and I of course was nervous, just like everyone else moving in. But later that day, when I met my roommate, I thought she was really nice and chill. The moment my roommate and I met, we got along great.
On move in day, we never really got to talk to each other, since we were running around campus getting our school stuff, so I still wasn’t sure if I was going to like her, or if she liked me. The next day, we both walked around campus to help each other find our classes and to familiarize ourselves with the environment. Then, later that week, we went to the Sparticipation event and had so much fun together. We looked for clubs to join and events that happen around campus.
Within the week we had been roommates, I felt as though we had clicked. Throughout my first semester, there were so many events and things to do on campus. My roommate and I did everything together. My experience with going in blind with a roommate has been the best choice I have made in my college journey. I know it’s not going to happen to everyone, but I hope others have shared my experience. If you are ever struggling to find the right roommate, just keep on trying. Don’t let your roommate be the major reason for affecting your college experience.