When thinking ahead to college, prospective students either get really excited or shudder at the thought of imagining their future roommate. College dorms are typically doubles, triples or quads, with some single student dorms as well. For most, college is the first time having to live with a complete stranger in a condensed space. Either way, college students are going to get to know their roommate[s] very well, whether they become best friends or worst enemies.

As technology continues to grow and develop, so do the ways to find college roommates. The majority of students use Facebook to either find or research information about their potential roommates by friending possible candidates and emailing or chatting them to find out if they’re compatible. Students find other students by joining the Facebook page for their graduating class at their future college. On the Facebook page, students write a short bio on the wall and generally others will add you to talk about the possibilities of rooming.

“I posted on the 2016 Facebook page and [my future roommate] messaged me. We talked from there and got to know each other better. We’ve hung out since then and he seems cool. It’ll be new to share a room with another person, but I’m excited,” senior Rawand Shamdin said.

There are also websites online specifically designed to aid students in finding their match, like roomsurf.com. This website features a personality quiz that one answers and then there is a messaging feature on the site to contact people whose results are similar to your own. The only downside is the website requires you to become a “premium member” for $12 to be able to communicate with matches and be able to find them on Facebook.

“My roommate messaged me on roomsurf.com. I found her on Facebook, and now we text all the time. I’ve very excited to room with her because we have a ton in common. I looked for someone with the same sense of humor, likes some of the same things, can keep a conversation going and just is an overall awesome person,” senior Kelly Goodison said.

If the online options aren’t cutting it, some students prefer to be assigned a roommate the old fashioned way. Students fill out a questionnaire with their preferences, such as what type of studying environment they prefer and whether or not they like to stay up late.

Some students choose to room with someone they already know by sending in a request with their housing contract. Many say rooming with a high school friend is a huge mistake because the students don’t get the chance to branch out. For some students, rooming with a friend is the best option because they have mutually agreed they can stand living together and they are already agreeable with each other.

“I chose to room with someone I know because I didn’t want to risk getting a random, crazy roommate. I like the idea of being able to plan out my dorm here at home with her and already being comfortable around her. It’s one less change I have to undergo in the fall,” senior Ashlyn Nisker said. Nisker is rooming with Becca Hendrickson, with whom she’s attended school with since they were in elementary school.

Whether or not they know their roommate ahead of time, students have the ability to make a best friend or new rival in the Fall.