There’s a big difference between getting along someone well as friends and getting along as roommates, so here are five stories to illustrate the do's and don’ts of living with roommates.

Every situation and pairing is different, however in pretty much any setting, the following will help insure that your roommate and you live forever in perfect harmony.

1. Do: Reach out to your roommate before moving in. My friend and her freshman roommate are the cutest things in the world, and they didn’t even know each other before move in. They found each other on their school’s online roommate matchmaking service, and realized that they had a lot in common. Before they moved in, they decided on bedspreads, how they would rearrange their room and a color scheme. I’m not saying that you’ll be best friends with your roommate, but you’ll be able to start on a much better foot if you get to know your future roomie a little bit before you move in. 

2. Don’t: Ignore your illnesses. To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised my freshman year roommate didn’t hurl me out of our window. I was sick for all of first semester and part of second semester and pretty much refused to go to the doctor. If you get sick in the dorms, which you will, go to the doctor. Don’t sit around infecting your roommate with your nasty, sickness-filled germs. He or she might not be as patient as my roommate was, and could very well exile you. Go to the school doctor, find out that you have either mono or strep, take the antibiotics and some vitamin C, and get better faster! 

3. Do: Go the extra mile. One of my friend’s roommates knew she was having a really bad day, so she brought her The Habit for dinner. You see your roommate everyday and unless you are a completely oblivious individual, you know when they’re extraordinarily stressed out. If you’re a freshman, then the food is on meal plan anyways, and it’s a nice gesture to show that they have a support system in you. They’ll appreciate you to the nines, and don’t you want to live in peace and love rather than hostility? 

4. Don’t: Take their things without asking. It seems like common sense, but one of my friends would come back to her room or look at pictures on Facebook or Instagram, and see her clothes or accessories on her roommate. Don’t take things that aren’t yours without asking. If they say no, then you are not allowed to use it. You can’t always get what you want, and this is a lovely way to have a character building moment and respect your roommate’s wishes. Exercise some self control and keep your hands off of your roommate’s belongings. 

5. Do: Learn how to compromise. You’ve most likely never lived with a stranger before, so you need to learn how to compromise. You will not always be able to play your music, turn the lights off or on when you want, or have people over when you want. With your family you can be a brat, or maybe you’re lucky and they have similar interests and schedules as you do. When you’re living with a stranger, however, you need to be able to let go of your own preferences and go with the flow. It’s difficult, but suck it up and try to be the bigger person sometimes. It’ll serve you well to be able to get along with different types of people, and your roommate will find your quirks less annoying if you cooperate with them.   

Everyone hears about roommate horror stories, but it all comes down common sense and respect. If you keep your roommate in mind when thinking about how your actions effect your roommate, then you’ll have a great year. Good luck!