It’s not easy moving out of home to a place far away and spending the next two to four years of your life there. And it’s worse when you have to do it the hard way, with a roommate who makes your college life miserable. The easiest way to make your life in college happier and trouble-free is to get along with your roommate, and to do this, you need to:

· Set a few ground rules: It’s hard enough for a husband and wife to live together without a few rules, so how do you expect to survive in close quarters with a stranger if you don’t discuss your living situation? Once you’re comfortable with each other, talk about your living arrangement and all that you need to do to make both your lives more peaceful and less filled with strife. It’s no fun when you’re constantly at odds with your roommate.

· Avoid obsessing over trivialities: Yes, your roommate is bound to have a few quirks that will bug you, but the same can be said of you. It’s best to make an effort to avoid making a great deal about trivialities that are best ignored. If you show your roommate this courtesy, you are sure to get it back.

· Establish boundaries: so that you don’t step on each other’s toes or spoil the other’s fun. Besides, you avoid arguing and getting into disagreements. College dorm rooms are pretty small affairs, and when you have to share space with someone else and live in close quarters, it’s best to decide what you can and cannot do at the outset.

· Discuss problems: Yes, there will be problems from time to time. Instead of letting them fester and grow out of proportion, talk it out so that you can clear the air. Most problems are perceived; they’re in the minds of one person while the other thinks that all is well. If you discuss your issues openly, you’re sure to live in greater harmony.

· Share your stuff: If you live with someone, you need to be able to share at least certain things with them without taking offense. Or if what you have is only yours, you need to establish these boundaries early on. Generally, it’s best if you agree to divide some of the things you need to buy and share them so that your expenses are minimized and space is maximized.

It take a bit of an effort to make your relationship with your roommate work, but once you’ve established a rapport, it does make your life in college a lot more enjoyable.

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This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of online engineering degree at her blog The Engineering A Better World Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com.