I think it’s safe to assume that the roommate search is the most daunting part of the college process, nearly topping the actual college decision. There are a lot of options for finding roommates, so here’s a quick rundown on each method and its best qualities:

Random assignment: This is a great option for anyone who’s willing to put all of their trust in the hands of the college and five ambiguous questions on a survey. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? If you do end up with a terrible assignment, remember: it’s only nine months of mess, chaos and hatred!

Instagram: Personally, Instagram is my favorite platform for the roommate search. It’s definitely the most authentic and uncurated place to find one! It’s easy finding someone with similar interests, as all of the descriptions are really unique and personal. I recommend analyzing their account, captions, comments and most importantly, how many followers they have.

ZeeMee/Patio: These apps are similar to Instagram in that they rely mostly on pictures and really basic descriptions, so of course I highly recommend them for finding the perfect roommate! It’s especially nice when the pictures are group photos with no indication of who is whom.

Regardless of who you end up with, the dorms are obviously very spacious and it’s not like you’ll definitely be living with whoever you get for the whole school year, so don’t take it too seriously!