WOODBURY – For seniors, the college process is already a time-consuming process, but choosing a college roommate can become another one of the most stressful parts of preparing for the next 4 years of school. Incoming freshmen turn to social media, group chats and surveys in hopes of finding the perfect match before the move in day comes. 

Senior Olivia Gwiazdowski is committed to Fairfield University, and her roommate choosing process is based on a survey form to match with the ‘perfect’ roommate. 

“For Fairfield, you fill out this form and on that form you fill out what time you like to go to bed, if you’re a clean or messy person, if you like people to go in and out of your room, and just other things for them to know about you,” Gwiazodski said. “Then they just randomly put you with someone who has similar needs as you.” 

Like Olivia Gwiazdoski, senior Gianna Geraci attending UConn, also used an app to try and match with a roommate. 

“I used this app, and it was super helpful,” Geraci said. “It’s almost like a dating app, you pick a gender girl or boy then if you both like each other you match. I got some of the girls’ snapchats and I think I found one through that.” 

From using these surveys and apps, it is not only effective to find a great roommate, but to also find lifelong friends. 

“What I’ve heard is that it has worked out great,” Gwiazdoski said. “My cousin went to Fairfield, and she stayed friends with her freshman year roommate all through college and from everyone who I’ve talked to that has also gone there says the same thing. 

College and Career Counselor Kathy Green, suggests using surveys rather than social media from what she sees when helping seniors.  

“I think what is stressful is that most students try to find their roommate using social media platforms whether it is through apps like ZeeMee, trying to find peoples Instagram accounts, or signing up for a schools page which could be just based on superficial qualities,” Green said. “When the surveys can add some depth to the roommate choosing process.” 

Many seniors like James Gwiazdoski, going to Mount Saint Mary’s (NY), haven’t found his perfect person yet, but also completed a Google form. 

“I haven’t found one yet, but I did a Google form to figure out who I can be compatible with,” Gwiazdoski.  

Teachers, like Joshua Kornblut, have lived the roommate picking nightmare already.

“I was in a Facebook group for freshmen entering Roanoke College, in Virginia and I met someone on it that had similar interests to me, played guitar like I did, and liked hockey and baseball,” Kornblut said. “Shortly after moving in freshman year I realized that my roommate was not as normal as I thought. He ended up getting in a lot of trouble. He wasn’t in the room often at night then would just sleep all day. He later got expelled from school for trying to burn down the dorm… not the best roommate experience for me.” 

Instead of having a roommate, other seniors like Matt Clifford who is attending UConn, and Ella Quinn, going to Haverford, plan to live alone. 

“I am getting a single my freshman year,” Quinn said. 

“I’m buying an apartment,” Clifford said. “Stamford housing is very expensive and my parents are getting an apartment where they work so then I’ll split it with my dad, and also so I don’t have to share a bathroom with someone.”