The end of senior year is often marked by celebrations for the end of an era, celebrations which are often confused as relaxation by underclassmen. Behind the scenes, college-bound seniors are buried in college enrollment paperwork and stressors. One of the biggest stressors for incoming college freshmen is finding a roommate and housing at their home for the next four years. Finding the person you’re going to live with as a freshman is one of the first big decisions an incoming college student will make.

The choice most students make is to find a roommate through college services. Many universities offer a free roommate matching service to connect incoming freshmen with new people. Many colleges also have events for high school seniors committed to the university to meet each other. Ivan Inga, a North Atlanta senior committed to George Mason University, met his roommate at an event just like this. After making sure he was an organized person with a good personality, he knew they would be a good fit. “It was difficult to find someone at first,” he said, “but I suggest keeping an eye out for any events your college holds. It’s a great resource.”

For some North Atlanta seniors, the idea of sharing a space with a stranger is an off putting one. These students instead opt to room with someone they already know. Georgia Tech commit Will Langley falls into this category. After hearing horror stories about people hating their roommates, he decided to room with his friend Jake Rodman. Langley knew he wanted someone he could have a conversation with “He only smells sometimes and is cool so he seemed like an obvious choice,” he said.

While some seniors have found their roommates, many are still on the hunt. Senior University of Georgia commit Juliet Joyce has been looking on Instagram pages for the UGA class of ‘27 as well as being posted on one of these pages herself. Opposite of some, she has been specifically looking for people who don’t go to North Atlanta or the area around it. When asked what her strategy has been, she said “Get started early! Time is the key to knowing people when you get there.”

As the college class of 2027 gets ready to tackle the next chapter of their lives, new adventures and challenges reveal themselves. Whether they are making new friends or growing with old peers, the North Atlanta class of 2023 is bound for greatness!