When we found out Residence Life used Facebook to match up roommates for the incoming freshman class we did a double take. Facebook? That ever so used-and-abused tool that we upperclassmen use WAY too much? That’s a pretty sweet idea!

Unfortunately, most of us didn’t have that option as freshmen. We took the time to fill out the paper survey and mail it back in, hoping that we wouldn’t get stuck with a kid with a creepy bug. For the most part, we think that worked out pretty well. But to be able to choose your own roommate your first year in college? That’s awesome.

By giving the students a chance to get to know each other through something as commonplace as Facebook, it puts the match in their hands, for the most part ensuring that the match they decide on will work out, because they can talk about their different interests and habits and maybe compromise a little bit ahead of time. That way they can take care of things early on, instead of having problems later on.

But as great as it may seem, it does come with some drawbacks. We have to say that it might have seemed a little bit like an online dating site. Providing all this information online for everyone to see can have that effect.

And what about added pressure? Students are already under lots of pressure to adjust quickly and get ready for that ever-so-important transition from high school to college. But trying to find a roommate via Facebook can add even more stress to the mix.

We probably would have spent hours trying to decide which pictures to put on our profiles and worked and reworked lists of our favorite movies, music and television shows.

And the answers to the specific questions asked on the Roommate Selection group? There’s another couple of hours spent carefully crafting our answers just right, so that no one thinks we’re too interested in something or that we’re a little odd.

But don’t get us wrong, we still think the Facebook roommate group is a great idea. We just wish we had had it as freshmen.