Once my daughter turned in her college acceptance form, her next step was not combing through the course catalogue to figure out her classes; instead, she set out to find a roommate. This was a surprise to me. I had assumed roommates were randomly assigned, as they were when I went to college, but social media has made it possible for newly admitted students to seek out their own living arrangements, and many colleges and universities honor their requests.
In my daughter’s case, she ended up finding a potential roommate through a friend of a friend. The two girls set up a time to iChat, and after a rapid-fire session of questioning that resembled speed dating, they decided that they were probably compatible. By the end of the conversation, they had even agreed on a periwinkle blue color scheme for their room. Last week, they learned their request had been granted.
I liken this “pick your roommate” process to finding out what sex your child is before it’s born: By removing a big unknown, one can better plan and manage expectations. For many students, something as simple as pre-coordinating duvet colors or deciding who will provide the room’s mini-fridge alleviates unnecessary anxiety, making the transition to college life that much easier.
But even if a student has pre-chosen a roommate, there is still the stress of acquiring all of the stuff one needs for the dorm room. (Again, it reminded me of pregnancy, when I was overwhelmed by the long list of things I needed to buy.) The big-box stores carry just about everything, but a more targeted inventory is available through several online retailers that specialize in dorm room decor.