Roommates 101: Basic rules to live by

A double in Hill College House is roughly 116 by 160 inches wide, providing space for two beds, a desk -- and little privacy should a nasty dispute erupt between roommates.

For many, moving into a college dormitory for the first time also means sharing a room with a complete stranger for the first time -- a living situation that can take a little time to adjust to.

After you finish unpacking and before you invite a dozen of your closest high school friends to check out your new home, consider these simple rules for a more harmonious living experience:

• Set guidelines. What is your policy with taking phone messages? By what time do you have to go to bed? Are overnight visitors acceptable? Sit down and discuss these with your roommate before they become an issue -- and if it turns out they aren't working out, consider amendments jointly. • Use headphones. Dorm life isn't a duel to see who has the most powerful speakers. Similarly, don't test your new roommate's stamina by trying to see how many times you can play 50 Cent's "In Da Club" on repeat before he cracks.

• You don't have to be best friends. Many people arrive on campus with high hopes for finding a soul mate in their roommate. Some do, but many more do not. Accept this -- and realize that sometimes keeping the politeness you abandon with your close friends can be helpful in maintaining positive roommate relations.

• Keep your space neat. You don't have to vacuum and scrub on a daily basis, but keeping your towels off the floor and your molding fruit out of the mini fridge make getting along much easier.

• Avoid excessive overnight guests. Your room is not a hotel, and even the most patient of roommates can get fed up with the best of boyfriends if he becomes a nightly fixture. Frequent "sexiling" is an excellent way to create a bitter roommate who eats your food and neglects to give you phone messages.

• If you're really unhappy, talk to your residential advisor or graduate associate. Some situations can be resolved with a few conversations, and some people are not cut out for roommate life and should have requested a single. If you or your roommate happens to be one of these people, many times something can be done to change the situation.

And of course, if all else fails, an inconsiderate roommate makes great material to entertain your other friends -- whose rooms you'll no doubt be spending many hours in.

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