It's a unique and honorable title. Not many can claim it, and not many can maintain it. But for Andrew Prestler, "Roommate of the Year" was easy to win, because he had a passion for video making.
Prestler, a junior telecommunications major, won the title from Apartments.com over the summer. Along with the recognition, Prestler received free rent for a year and a cash prize of $10,000.
The contest allowed anyone to create a video on why that person is a quality roommate. To be eligible, a contestant had to choose among six categories that relate to qualities one wants in a roommate, had to be 18 years old, comply with the rules guided by Apartments, and had to upload a short video of any style.
It was easy for Prestler to come up with an award-winning idea when he thought of his favorite pastime.
"I make videos and I kind of wanted to do something like a music video," Prestler said. "I was listening to a lot of Beastie Boys, and I thought it would be funny to do something along the lines of that. I kind of just went along with it."
His video interested the viewers of Apartments.com through his entertaining rap and clever lyrics. The video shows Prestler walking through an apartment describing ways to be the best roommate possible such as cleaning or helping a sick roommate.
Prestler found the contest on a lark.
"Over the summer, I was desperate to find a job and I was like, ‘Oh, I'll do some video contests and see what happens.' I typed ‘video contests' in Google and found onlinevideocontests.com," he said. "I had to come up with a lot of money if I hadn't won this contest."
He had no idea he would win the title of best roommate.
"At first, I didn't even think I would place in the top 10, so I was pretty speechless," he said. "I didn't think I would get that far."
Regardless of the beneficial prizes, Prestler hasn't experienced any major life changes.
"I made sure that I wouldn't spend all the money on outlandish things, but nothing really changed that much. It's just been really nice," he said.
One thing that has changed is the amount of publicity he has received since being declared roommate of the year.
"I've gotten a lot of publicity for it. Apartments.com has been calling me and I've been doing a lot of interviews," he said. "I was on the ‘Today Show,' and I've been on the radio as well, so it was really cool to see that."
Prestler will have to create a response video for apartments.com. He said it will be the same style and be another example of how to be a good roommate.
His roommates, Emily Abrams and Jacob Taylor, were ecstatic when he won the contest. The free year of rent paid for their off-campus house on New York Avenue.
"We have more room to move around. We can do what we want without having any rules," Abrams said.
Abrams, a junior speech pathology major, said Prestler acts the same, but he has expectations to uphold now.
"He's still the same with me. I still think of him as the same person," she said. "He's a laidback kind of guy, yet he doesn't really rap ever so that was funny. ... We do expect him to cook and clean all the time because that what he says he does in the video."
Prestler has noticed a change in his friends' attitudes since he won.
"I've noticed that my roommates use the title against me, but they just joke about it," he said. "They say, 'Oh, you're roommate of the year, so you have to go do something.'"
Taylor, who has been Prestler's roommate for a couple of years, takes advantage of Prestler's title.
"Anytime I need something, I can just guilt trip him with how he's roommate of the year and he'll usually do it," he said.
Taylor described Prestler as a close friend, making their living situation one they can all enjoy.
"He's my closest friend of three or four years," Taylor said. "He's been a good roommate to have."
With new freedom, more money and free rent for a year, Prestler explained the real importance to being a good roommate.
"I say some things in the video, like you have to be a really good cook or clean up, but it's all about having good communication," Prestler said. "I've had a lot of roommates, and that's what it's really all about."
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