Laura Maddock is experiencing life in a dormitory for the first time, but without the awkwardness of living with a complete stranger. Thanks to Facebook, a social networking site, Maddock was able to meet her roommate before freshman orientation.

Leaving home and moving into a dorm can be nerve-racking for some college students. Carroll Colleges tries to alleviate some of those anxieties by surveying students and their likes and dislikes before assigning roommates. They also inform students whom they'll be rooming with by mid-summer, which allows time for e-mails, phone calls and social networking communications before actually moving in.

Maddock, a freshman nursing student from Bismarck, N.D., met her roommate, Erin Bolz, from Washington online in July.

";I added her on Facebook," Maddock said. ";She looked really normal, so I was happy about that."

It didn't take long before Maddock realized Bolz was just as laid back as she is.

They hashed out who would bring what: Maddock had the microwave, radio and blender, and they each had a small fridge.

Maddock said many of her friends back home were utilizing such sites to get acquainted with their new roommates.

";Facebook took some of those jitters away and I was able to recognize her beforehand," she said.

Carroll is methodical about deciding who lives with whom, according to Jim Hardwick, vice president of student life. They aren't selected electronically. A real person actually sits at a big table and makes the matches according to roommate information surveys, Hardwick said.

";The general feedback is: 'How did we match such compatible roommates?' " he said.

New students are asked to indicate if they are a night or day person, smoker or nonsmoker, early riser or late sleeper, and comfortable in large groups or small. The form provides space for music preference and self-identify descriptions such as outgoing and social or quiet and reserved.

";The survey takes basic lifestyles choices and pairs them with compatible roommates," Hardwick said.

The majority of students at Carroll live on campus and most upperclassman pick their roommates. There are approximately 800 students living in campus housing out of an expected 1,296 students -- 62 percent.

";Because of our size, we do the personal approach," Hardwick said. ";We like to give (students) as many options as we can."

Seniors Kristina Hilborn and Robyn Swaney, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, chose to live together in the quad-suite at Trinity Hall, the newest residential hall at the school.

They, like most students who live on campus, say it keeps them more involved and more focused.

Amber Marks is a junior from Chicago studying elementary education. She says living on campus is about convenience as much as it is involvement.

";If you want to go to the library, or the academic resource center, you don't have to drive," Marks said. ";You can just walk out of your room and you are right there."

Hardwick says the reason so many Carroll students decide to live on campus is because they are focused on their studies.

";By living on campus, they stay more connected to the college and their studies," he said. ";Many are going on to graduate school and because students are making a big investment, they are serious."

Data collected from Carroll's research specialist showed last year's grade-point averages of residential students -- both male and female -- exceeded the semester grade-point averages of commuter students for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

";Living on campus is a way to stay focused and work toward their degree," Hardwick said.

He also said that as gas prices went up, more students looked to student housing.

Hardwick said some students think it's cheaper to live off campus, but soon they realize it's not as cheap as they thought when bills like Internet, phone and garbage service start rolling in.

";(Living on campus) is just a more comprehensive package,' he said.

Fun with dorm decor

Roommates Kristina Hilborn, Caitlin Fernandez and Robyn Swaney aren't new to the dorm decorating scene. They lived together last year and they have lots of hot tips when it comes to shopping, decorating and room necessities.

College students everywhere know that amenities like mini-fridges are a must for those living in dorms without kitchenettes, and plastic organizing bins are necessity no matter what.

The goal for most is to furnish living quarters without breaking the bank.

There are an endless number of online sites that provide an array of dorm room accessories, but local department stores seem to be where most students do their shopping.

There are ways to make use of old items without tossing them into the landfill.

Old CDs, for example, can be used in all sorts of ways, Hilborn says.

When the sound of Limp Bizkit is no longer a top choice for dorm life, the CD can be used for wall décor or coasters on the coffee table.

Because rooms are small, beds tend overwhelm the limited space, which means it's a perfect opportunity to pick up something that's not only comfortable, but stylish.

A reversible comforter can provide a change to mix up the decor throughout the school year.

Most students bring a small desk lamp since they are affordable and easy to move around.

";Christmas lights are a must," Hilborn says.

Fernandez said the dorm's fluorescent lighting is not appealing.

";You don't ever want your overhead light on," she said.

Shopping is good at second-hand stores especially for used furniture, art and kitchen supplies.

";You need lots of cups for drinking and nothing can match," Swaney said.

For students who live on dorm floors with community shower and bathroom facilities, a good investment should be made on a shower caddy, Hilborn said.

The caddy should be personalized she said, with favorite cleansing gels, shampoos and, most importantly, a pair of flip-flops.

Other musts are push-pins for walls and a Web cam for visiting with long-distance family members. Most students say it's not necessary to have everything on the first day, and for most college students on a tight budget, spreading out the spending is a good idea.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com