Moving to USF housing off campus is hard enough. Being paired up with a completely random roommate that you've never met can add a million layers of stress to the whole situation. Whether you're moving to a two-bedroom apartment, where you'll only have to stay with one other person, or to a four-bedroom apartment and have to share a bathroom with three other people, it's always nice to meet who you'll be living with beforehand. Luckily, there are several easy ways to find a roommate without all the stress.
Look for Recommendations
Friend groups are a pretty good resource when it comes to finding a college roommate. Whether one of your friends is looking for a roommate, or a friend's friend, or a friend's cousin – whatever the relationship, everyone seems to know someone that's looking for a roommate. Whether they refer you to the friend-of-a-friend or a family member or any combination, chances are they have at least one person you can meet.
Looking within your college or classes at USF is not a bad idea either! For example, if you're a USF Graduate Student looking for an apartment, you might find that other graduate students in your classes are a better fit than underclassmen.
Roommate-Matching Websites
There are plenty of online matching services for students seeking roommates. On most of these websites, you'll make a profile and fill out all your information, including questions like if you prefer male or female roommates, if you need someone who likes animals, and how much you want the rent to be. Then you can chat with people who share your same interests without worrying about whether or not they also want a pet-friendly USF apartment under $600.
Off-Campus Housing Activities
If you've already moved in and are just trying to fill that empty room down the hall, look into some activities your USF apartment might have. Most communities will have some kind of events or activities at least once a month to entertain their residents and to make the community feel closer. It's a great place to mingle and meet people who may also be looking for a roommate. You can also check in with the staff there; they might have a list of residents waiting to be leased that you could look into!
Facebook Groups
A lot of times, if you go to a university, there will be university-specific Facebook group pages for those looking for a roommate. You can chat with the people who are a part of the group and find a fit for you or post specifically what you're looking for. If it's not important to you that you have another college student, there are also group pages that aren't for any specific university and are just for people looking for a roommate to split the rent with.
Flyers
This one is a little more old-school, but I can guarantee you've seen flyers like this posted somewhere around your USF apartment, or around USF itself. Write down where you want to stay and what qualifications you have (i.e. no smoking, pet-friendly, someone who enjoys parties), and your contact information, and then wait for the calls or texts to roll in. You can post these around campus or at your favorite coffee shop or anywhere you so please!
For more great articles on life at USF, check out the ApartmentsForBulls USF Student Guide.