Roommates of the Year

We’re looking for the best roommates on campus! 

Roommates are a lot like teammates—you don’t have a uniform, but you share the same home turf. And just like on any great team, everyone brings their own strengths to the game. Maybe one person is the unofficial chef, another is master of the social calendar and someone else always remembers to take the trash out before it becomes a science experiment. When roommates work together, everyone wins! 

How it works: 

1. Submit a video. SHOW us why you’re the best roommates on campus!
2. Complete the submission form with your roommate(s).
3. A committee of students and housing staff will determine the winners based on the criteria below.
4. Winners will receive a UGA prize pack and CUSTOM UGA JERSEYS from the UGA Bookstore.

SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY

Entries accepted March 16-26 and winners announced March 30, 2026

JUDGING CRITERIA

  • Roommate story 
    • How clearly and effectively do you tell your roommate story? 
  • Creativity 
    • How original, fun and engaging is the video concept and execution? 
  • Personality 
    • How well do your personalities and chemistry come through? 
  • University Housing representation 
    • How well do you reflect UGA and the on-campus living experience? 
  • Appropriate/brand safe 
    • Is your video appropriate for University Housing to repost online? 

PRIZES

All entrants: 

  • 8×18-inch felt Georgia pennant  

Finalists: 

  • 8×18-inch felt Georgia pennant  
  • Commemorative room number trophies 
  • A campus experience for roommates to do together 
  • Housing swag bag 

Winners will receive:  

  • 8×18-inch felt Georgia pennant  
  • Custom UGA jerseys from the UGA bookstore (any available option)  
  • A campus experience for roommates to do together 
  • Commemorative room number trophies 
  • Housing swag bag 

OFFICIAL RULES

Eligibility

  • The Roommates of the Year 2025–2026 competition is open to current University Housing residents living together during the 2025–2026 academic year. 
  • Eligible spaces include shared rooms, suites, supersuites and apartments, provided the residents:  
    • Share a common living space (e.g., living room, kitchen), and 
    • Currently live together at the time of entry 
  • A minimum of two residents must participate in each entry. 
  • In spaces with more than two residents, not all residents are required to participate. 
  • One entry per person is permitted. 
  • Entries must be submitted by legal occupants of the space. 

How to Enter

Complete the Roommates of the Year Submission Form online, including uploading your video or providing a YouTube link  

Video Guidelines 

All submitted videos must meet the following requirements: 

  • Portrait (vertical) format 
  • Be 60 seconds or less 
  • File size must not exceed 1 GB 
  • Show your University Housing assigned space 
  • Contain no copyrighted music 
  • Must comply with all current UGA and University Housing policies 
  • Bed rails must be in place on beds raised above the traditional height 
  • All content must be appropriate and reflect positively on UGA. Entries must be “grandma friendly,” with no obscenities, offensive language or inappropriate imagery. 

Failure to follow these guidelines may result in disqualification. 

Submission Timeline 

  • Submission window: March 16-26, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern 
  • Judging: March 30, 2026 
  • Finalists will be notified via UGA email and announced on University Housing Instagram. 

Judging and Selection 

  • Entries will be reviewed by a panel of University Housing professional staff, student staff, and Residence Hall Association student members. 
  • Judges will score entries based on the following criteria: 
    • Roommate story 
    • Creativity 
    • Personality 
    • UGA/Housing representation 
    • Appropriateness/brand-safe 
    • A group of finalists will be selected, and Roommates of the Year winners will be chosen by the judging panel. 

Use of Submissions 

  • By entering, participants agree to the use of their first name, likeness, submitted video(s) and building name for promotional purposes. 
  • Submissions may be shared across University Housing social media channels, as well as print and digital outlets, both during and after the contest. 

Additional Conditions 

  • Entries found to violate University Housing or University of Georgia policies will be disqualified. 
  • This promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook or any other social media platform. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All contest entrants must agree to the following by providing their signature on the contest entry form: 

I grant permission for the Subject’s likeness, image, voice and comments to be recorded in any media and to be used by the University of Georgia on behalf of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in any publications, media, or technology now known of or hereafter developed in the future, for any lawful purpose whatsoever without further permission from me. 

  • I understand the Subject will not be compensated further for use of these recordings. 
  • I understand that the Subject’s likeness is part of the Subject’s education record under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), is not considered “directory information” according to FERPA, and that the Subject’s consent is required for the likeness to be disclosed. I hereby consent to the use of my likeness as described above. 
  • I certify that I am at least 18 years of age, that I am the Subject or parent/legal guardian of the Subject, and that I have read and understood the above.