As kids, most of us have been told something along the lines of “don’t talk to strangers” or “stranger danger”. Now, as seniors in high school who are about to go off to college, it’s a little ironic that we’re looking for roommates among other people from different cities, states, and even countries. It all just feels weird.

Many students use social media or different apps to find their future roommate. Meeting people online can always carry a risk as people may not be who they say they are. People can easily get personal information about students by using the excuse that they are trying to get to know new people. Is finding a roommate really worth the risk?

On a lighter note, once you’ve connected with someone, what are you supposed to talk about? Of course, most conversations start with “I’m from ___ and plan on majoring in ___. Some of my hobbies are ___.” After we’ve exhausted the small talk, how are we supposed to keep a conversation going when we still don’t really know them and haven’t met them in person yet. It could be compared to online dating. Both consist of trying to see if the other person is weird, thinking of random topics to talk about, and keeping an eye out for red flags. Then, when something goes wrong or the conversation falls flat, we mutually ghost one another and act like it never happened. However, sometimes, the small talk isn’t so bad and you aren’t really struggling to keep a conversation going. Then the question is how does one casually bring up the question about living together for the next year?

Ruby Bittner (12) shares her personal experience when talking to potential roommates saying “I have been talking to this one girl who seems really nice and has similar interests as me, but I’m having second thoughts about rooming with her since I still haven’t actually met her. On the other hand, it has been fun talking to and meeting many new people from a lot of different places.” While many people you meet during the roommate-finding process won’t end up being your roommate, it’s still an easy way to make friends before moving to college.

While talking to strangers can feel awkward and intimidating, it’s not the end of the world if you do not find a roommate soon. Many colleges have specialized processes that allow people to find others who will be a good match. So, trust the process and let their system do the work for you. In the end, your college roommate will not be the determinant of your entire college experience.