After deciding where you are going to school comes a whole new stress; finding a roommate. Before this year, I didn’t realize the importance of this decision. We have all heard the stories of roommates going off the deep end, such as trying to poison your food, stealing your things, or even going full schiz on you.

Finding the right person is stressful, but getting them to want to live with you is where it gets difficult. This is the parallel to online dating. Hundreds of complete strangers join Facebook groups and give their best effort to convince others that they are normal.

An average post consists of a small introduction, where you are from, interests, and a dozen smiley faces and exclamation points. Without coming off too strong and longwinded you must work to explain you like to go out and do have friends but you will focus on studies as well. It can be hard presenting yourself in a way that doesn’t scare people off by being too bland or too enthusiastic. Most people add a few pictures of themselves and their friends just to reassure everyone they do in fact have friends and will not try to kill you in your sleep.

Following your post you hold your breath in hopes of likes, comments, and direct messages. Fingers crossed you’ve done everything right so far.

I got a few messages from girls far different from me, either looking for someone to accompany them in their journey to find Jesus at Auburn or a gal pal to shop and do make up with. Nothing wrong with either of these, just not similar to me. It is crucial to find a roommate that is somewhat close to your personality. This is why sports teams room together. Girls that are rushing I suggest you find someone who also is just to have a friend during the week of rush.

Some girls messaged me just “looking for a friend” because they already were living with their best friend from high school starting in the fall. First of all this bothers me because I don’t understand not wanting to branch out. I hope these girls realize high school does come to an end and they won’t die meeting someone new.

Then there were a couple of girls who actually matched up with me but the small talk was unbearable. Hopefully everything will all workout and you find someone who you won’t mind living in a 17-foot-by-12-foot room with. It is hard to gauge these things off of a few texts and stalking their social media once or twice.

In the age of social media after finding their roommate people are in the automatic search for friends via the internet. I was recently added to a snap chat group of other girls going to Auburn next year. It is so bizarre because these girls are acting like we are a squad or something when in actuality I have no clue who anyone is, I don’t even know who added me to it.

The only word I can use to describe this whole process is spastic. For a while I found myself envying my friends who are participating in athletics next year and had a pool of ten girls to choose from that all have at least one common interest.

In the end I have found my roommate and even got to meet her a few weeks ago. The best part is she didn’t steal anything from me or poison my food.