Roommates can be one of the scariest parts of college. Either you’ll room with a friend, or you’re going to have to potluck it. No matter which way, chances are you won’t really know what kind of roommate you have until it’s too late. He or she could be loud and messy, quiet and quite possibly OCD, or maybe even a mixture of the two.  Have no worries, though, these simple precautions will help you get through the whole “college experience” alive.

    First, add your roommate on Facebook, if you’ve not already done so. This is important because it allows you to take a glimpse at their social life and just how active of a partier he or she might be.  But be warned, profiles can be misleading when a person wishes to develop a completely new reputation at college.

     Second, you’ll need to read the dorm’s contract closely.  There could be loopholes in here to get rid of your roommate if he or she starts to get on your nerves. For instance, there could be a rule about keeping your room clean. This is an easy fix to either get your roommate to change his or her messy habits or to get him or her out.

     Third, make a contract on your own with your roommate. You two can compromise on major issues before they ever arise so you won’t have to stop a very important study session to deal with it.  Make him or her sign it and post it somewhere visible on your wall and refer to it often.

     Fourth, have a supportive group of friends at the school who aren’t friends with your roommate.  By living in such close quarters with your roommate, you’ll get sick of him or her no matter how close you were before.  Kids who grew up sharing a room with a sibling understand this.  Trust us; you’ll need an escape group of friends.

     Fifth, make sure you don’t start the year off distrusting your roommate. Give him or her a chance to prove himself or herself to you.  If you discover you actually kind of like him or her, it might just make your whole “college experience” easier.

     With that said, remember that roommates only last a year, sometimes less, and even if you get stuck with one of the worst roommates imaginable, chances are you’ll still have fun and have some great stories to tell later on.