I know this sounds crazy, but do you think it’s better to choose a roommate who is “just like you” or someone who’s the opposite of you?
I have two potential roommates. One is me. He’s so like me, I almost said “he’s literally me” but decided not to. But seriously, if you gave me a list of his likes and dislikes and his career plan and college major, I’d say the list is describing me. On the other hand, I also know college is a time of maturing and being exposed to people NOT like you because it’s good practice for “the real world”. So, there’s another dude who is not me at all. We are incredibly different, and essentially exact opposites.
Knowing this, is it better to choose someone who’s “you” or the “anti-you” when it comes to college roommates?
I think it is important to room with someone whose habits are similar to yours. For example, if you prefer to sleep all day and your roommate prefers to sleep all night, there is more potential for conflicts due to the silly things like the light being on when he’s trying to sleep, etc.
Getting along or not getting along with a roommate is huge–and when it doesn’t work out it creates a lot of stress. You will have tons of opportunities to be exposed to all types of people. Choose the one you think you can live with most easily.
I agree…you want them to be compatible in when they go to sleep, cleanliness, amount of people they expect over, etc. However having people that might be in the same class might be helpful.