Thrown together by fate and a housing algorithm, many college students dread the thought of being paired with a random roommate. The idea of living with a complete stranger can feel like a gamble, one that could either lead to a lifelong friendship or a year of awkward small talk.
For many freshmen, this experience is almost unavoidable, considering many universities require first-year students to live on campus, often with an assigned roommate. These housing arrangements come with expectations of shared space, mutual respect and basic cooperation but limited control over who you’re paired with.
Throughout my college career, I’ve been paired with six randoms. Of course, it’s a little nerve-wracking at first: Will we get along? Will they be messy or keep me up all night?
But in every instance, it’s worked out just fine. Some roommates became close friends, others were simply easy to live with, but each experience taught me how to adapt and understand perspectives outside of my own.
Chris Mears, NC State’s assistant director of administration and occupancy management, said most issues he sees with roommates are about scheduling and navigating shared spaces rather than compatibility and getting along.
“Everyone loves to talk about the roommate horror stories because those are the fun stories to tell,” Mears said. “Realistically speaking, that’s about 1% of our roommate issues that we have to deal with on a yearly basis.”
He said that an essential part of the process is going into it with an open mind.
“Have a positive attitude,” Mears said. “Don’t let the shock stories be what you focus on. Communication is key in all of these situations.”
Kela Farmer, NC State’s assistant director of residence life, said that although random roommates help students network and meet new people, there are benefits to having a random roommate that extend beyond just the potential to make a friend.
“It gives you the opportunity to have some healthy, productive conflict management that maybe you wouldn’t have had before if you were in a solo room or if you’re matching with people you’ve already lived with,” Farmer said.
Farmer also emphasized the importance of being honest in the housing application, which asks lifestyle questions regarding scheduling and other habits.
“Being honest with yourself about how you want to kind of do business or navigate in your space is always going to set you up to finding a new friend or a new connection,” Farmer said.
Conflicts might arise when students aren’t upfront about their habits or expectations like sleep schedules, study routines or how often they have guests over, so being clear about those expectations early on can prevent tension later in the semester.
As students begin thinking about who they might live with next year, it’s important to approach the process with the right mindset.
“Come in [to housing situations] with an open mind, ready to communicate, ready to solve things and see new perspectives,” Farmer said.
This open-minded approach is especially relevant now, as housing season kicks off on campus. NC State’s housing application went live on Oct. 27 for the 2026-2027 room selection process and will close on Feb. 1. The university will also offer several roommate matching events at the beginning of 2026.
At the end of the day, living with a random roommate may not always be seamless, but living with a stranger may just be one of the most characteristically college things out there. And who knows, that stranger could become a lifelong friend. Even though my first-year random roommate lives 500 miles away, she’s still one of my best friends to this day.
Living with random roommates is one of the best opportunities to grow, learn flexibility and meet people you might not have crossed paths with otherwise. Before ruling it out, give it a try — you might be surprised by how well it works out.
