Choosing a roommate in college is a very crucial thing. The person that you choose will be the person that you are stuck living with for the rest of the year. College is challenging enough, so picking a roommate you can get along with well is very important. If you are having trouble on how to pick your roommate here are some tips to help ease your choosing.

Know yourself. I cannot stress enough how important it is to know yourself before you choose who you want to room with. In any situation in life, you should take the time to learn new things about yourself, so you know what you want from others. Know what you like and what you don’t like.

Don’t choose your friend. A part of having the college experience is making new friends and expanding your social circle. When picking a roommate, don’t just go with the person that you have known all your life. Try meeting someone new and if you like, them consider rooming with them. Broaden your horizons, branch out and get to know different people.

Try social media. Many schools have hashtags and class twitter pages that you can go on and find people that will be attending the same school. Find the page or click on the hashtag and see if you can find a new friend, and possibly a roommate. There are a lot of people out there looking for roommates on social media that you could find. Find them, get to know them, and if you like them, see if they wanna be rooomies.

Let it be random. If you absolutely have no clue in who you want to room with, let the school choose for you. Some schools try to choose based on your major. This can take a lot off your shoulders and can help you befriend someone you wouldn’t have necessarily befriended otherwise.

Remember that choosing a roommate is a very important decision to make and not one to take lightly. You have to live with that person for months and the wrong roommate can take a toll on your grades and life. Make sure when you do finally decide you both come up with rules for the dorm. If there is no structure between everyone, it could make your rooming situation a living hell. Let them know what you like and what you don’t like. Try to become friends with your roommate, whoever they are, so that you can ensure that both of you guys have a great college experience.