Not seeing eye to eye with your roommate? These tips may help.

Some people get along with just about everyone; others, not so much. So how do you know that you will get along with your new roommate? Here are some tips to help you adjust to the change and maybe make your life, as well as your roommate's, a whole lot easier.

Be courteous. After all, you're not the only one living there.

Clean up after yourself. Your mother isn't there to do it for you anymore, and your roommate shouldn't have to either.

Work together for all shared responsibilities. Cleaning, paying the bills, groceries, etc. If it is something that you both have to do, working in numbers is better.

Communication is key. If you don't talk to your roommate, don't expect them to know exactly what you want or what's bothering you. If there is something that is really bothering you, talk to them and you could work out a compromise.

"I had a friend that didn't talk to her roommate at all. They went on like no one else lived there until they would fight about stupid, little things. All of the fighting could have probably been avoided if they would have just talked to each other once in a while." Said Jackie Thomas, sophomore at IUP.

Don't nitpick. Sure, there's bound to be little things that annoying you about your roommate, but you can't be so picky when you're living with another person. After all, your roommate grew up doing these things - they're not doing them just to make you crazy.

Be open to new things and ideas. Everyone is different. Especially at college. There are so many different types of people and personalities that if you only think in black and white, it will be a lot harder to get along with your roommate if they have opposing views.

Respect privacy. Just because you live together doesn't mean that you need to know every singe detail about your roommate's life. It also doesn't mean that you can borrow things without asking. Food, clothes, other personal items, ask before you take. Some people have weird quirks and may not like you touching something of theirs.

"My roommate last year crossed the privacy line a couple of times. She would go on my computer when I wasn't there and read my IM's and just basically snoop around. I caught her doing it a couple times and asked her to stop. When she didn't, I got the RA involved and she talked to her about it." Said Kayla Blough, a sophomore at IUP.

Don't be a pushover. You should do things for your roommate sometimes if they ask or need help, but don't let them take advantage of you. You have your own life and your own things, you can't be doing things for them all the time.

Work out a system. If you are an early bird and they are a night owl, work out a system so that you won't bother each other during particularly important hours. It could be as simple as going to the library for a while or wearing earplugs to bed, compromise and be considerate.

Contact your roommate before move-in day. This way it's easier for both of you to figure out who can bring what and what you both still need to bring or buy. This is also a great way to get a feel of what your roommate is like before either of you actually meet.

Don't room with a friend your freshman year. It's not always a bad thing but you may cling to each other, making it a bit more challenging to meet new people and discover new opportunities. You may also feel more at ease to tell them about their faults, perhaps making you resent each other by the year's end.

Find an alternative if there are irreconcilable differences. If you really can't get along with your roommate, do something about it. Either get a room change, don't spend so much time in your room with them, go to the library or a friend's room, or talk to your resident adviser about different options.

"Many young adults feel that since it is their room, they can do what they want in it. Bring visitors over all of the time, listen to loud music and live in filth. If there is no communication or compassion between you and your roommate, chances are slim that you will have a good year living there." Said Angie Lane, a worker in the Housing and Resident Life at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Overall, just remember to be courteous and respectful and you should at least be able to tolerate your roommate if they do the same for you. Everyone is different, but if you try to get along with them, it may not be such a bad thing after all.


POLL
Do you get along with your roommate?
YES
or
NO