Lindsey Mestdagh ’13 | Staff Writer

As the end of the year approaches and seniors prepare for college, finding a roommate is a top priority. Aside from going in blind or with a friend, Roomsurf is another option.

Roomsurf is a social networking resource that helps high school and college students identify and connect with compatible roommates, according to roomsurf.com.

The website states that it strives to provide a resource that is beneficial to students, parents and college housing departments. Empowering students to choose their own roommates can increase student and parent well-being, reduce room changes and transfer rates, and improve academic performance.

There are three easy steps to finding a compatible roommate, according to the website. One, choose your college network and create a profile. Two, take the roommate survey and review your matches. And three, get to know your matches, pick a roommate, and submit a mutual roommate request to your school.

Kim Stavale ’13 plans to use Roomsurf to meet someone who shares her interests, but is not someone she already knows, she said.

“I don’t want to risk not getting along or not liking my roommate and Roomsurf is a great way to avoid that,” said Stavale.

Charlotte Burns ‘12 used Roomsurf to find her roommate that she has lived with this entire school year at Michigan State University, she said.

“I found my roommate because both of our surveys had a lot of answers that matched up, so we ranked high on each other’s rooming list,” said Burns.

Once a person of interest is found, it is easiest to message them and ask if they are still looking to room with anyone, Burns said. Through this, a person can easily ask more questions that he or she would want to know about someone before living with them.

“Overall, my roommate and I have had a very positive experience,” said Burns. “We get along really well and we’ve never had any arguments or disagreements about anything.”

Although Burns and her roommate are not best friends, they are still close and will hang out in the room during their free time, she said.

“We would probably be a lot closer, but when you join Greek life and other school activities, that is where you find people that you’ll be hanging out with the most,” said Burns.

Stavale has a friend that attends Dayton in Ohio who found her roommate through Roomsurf and has had a very positive experience with her roommate as they remain close friends to this day, she said. Stavale also said she has another friend that found a roommate through Roomsurf, but no longer gets along with them.

The internet can only tell so much about a person, Stavale said. It’s best to meet the student in person or going out to lunch before confirming the decision.

“I don’t want to go in with a friend because I already know all my friends as much as I can get to know anyone and I know I will already be spending a lot of time with the friends that are attending the same college as me, so it would be nice to be with someone different,” said Stavale.

Going in blind is not an option, Stavale said. She thinks it is too risky when relying on a roommate as a way to open up to a school.

“I will be looking for a roommate with a good personality, easy going, not too messy, but not too neat, not super lazy, and has a good wardrobe,” said Stavale.

Other students on Roomsurf will be judged on their pictures, Stavale said. Through pictures it’s easy to tell what type of person someone is, his or her lifestyle, and what type of people he or she hangs out with.

On the other hand, Deuce Rodriguez ’13 says he plans on rooming with friend Ryley Maher  ’13 next year at Western Michigan.

“I didn’t consider Roomsurf because Ryley and I have been planning on rooming together for a while,” said Rodriguez. “I like that I’m rooming with my best friend because I already know that I get along with him and that it will be easy to live with him.”

There aren’t any negatives to Roomsurf unless the person’s information online is misleading and turns out to be something other than what you thought, Rodriguez said.

“I would definitely use the website if I wasn’t going to college with friends,” said Rodriguez. “It’s a good way to find someone that you would enjoy living with.”

Most people are thinking about using Roomsurf to find someone they do not know to have the staple college experience, Stavale said. A roommate that is easy to relate with will open them up to new friends and activities.

“I’m hoping to find a lot of options for a roommate and that I will have a lot in common with others using Roomsurf,” said Stavale.

There are many advantages to using Roomsurf as it will force new students to get to know other people whether they are going to a school with high school friends or entering a new school alone, Burns said. It’s also guaranteed they won’t end up with a random person they don’t get along with.