One of the hardest decisions you’ll ever have to make in your millennial life is choosing a roommate in college. Committing to a college in itself is nerve-wracking, but the next step is finding someone you will actually live with for the entire school year—and maybe for the rest of your time at college. It may be a daunting task, but as soon as you figure it all out, the weight will be lifted off of your shoulders. But how do you choose?

It’s important to find someone who is somewhat like yourself…but also shows some differences. For example, if you’re messy but love to have a good time, you should find a roommate a little more on the clean side who can still relax. You need to find someone who you can tolerate, because you’re going to be spending many hours a day with him or her.

BHS Senior Laura Russo met her roommate at an overnight for her school: “We were randomly assigned the people we would stay with. She just happened to be the person I was paired with, and we got along really well.”

An easy way to begin your roommate search is to join your school’s official Facebook page. Once you do that, write a small bio about yourself, and most of the time, people will comment or like it if they feel you have something in common. You have to do the same, though—if someone posts a commonality, comment on their post. You can also message them privately and start up a conversation. Most of the time, other students will create a group chat on Groupme, another great place to make friends and meet potential roomies.

One common misconception many students believe is that people will flock to them, that they don’t have to initiate any conversations on their own. While some people may message you first, you should definitely take the initiative to be safe. By starting a simple conversation—whether or not this person will be your roommate—you may just spark a friendship.

Sometimes it can be difficult to send that initial message, but all you have to do is introduce yourself and let the person know you are still looking for a roommate. Once you find someone you like, do not just stop talking to other people who may have messaged you because there is no guarantee that your roommate will definitely attend your school. You’re going to want to have a backup plan.

The process may seem difficult or tedious, but once you do have a set roommate, it is certain to take much of the stress out of the first days of college. When you have someone you are already comfortable with, it makes adjusting to your new setting much easier. Even though things might still go horribly wrong, chances are they won’t. You might even get a friend for life.

Do you have a roommate acquisition story to share?  Feel free to leave it in the comments, or write a reply to [email protected]. The Eagle’s Cry might print your response under this article.