Moving to college is scary; scarier than that is having a complete stranger for a roommate. Everyone knows that rooming with a friend from high school can quickly become a disaster, so I opted for the random roommate. Luckily for me, mine turned out great! For my friends, not so much. So here are some things to keep in mind to make your year with your roommate go smoothly.

Set boundaries whenever you guys move in. It's not bad to have a conversation and set some ground rules. Talk to your roommate about what times you would like them to be quiet so you could study or go to sleep, about bringing people over, ESPECIALLY BOYS, or about who's going to clean the bathroom or take the trash out. If you have to fill out a roommate agreement, make sure you talk about it with them when you fill it out.

Before using anything of theirs or vice versa, just ask! Some people might not want to share toilet paper or a hair brush. Communication is key to getting along with another human being in a small space. In the end it all comes back down to being polite. Ask before borrowing something, and always return it where you got it from. Also, be aware, your roommate might be more of a clean freak than you or more messy, so make sure you communicate about that, too.

Be courteous and always treat your roommate how you would want to be treated. Text your roommate if you'll be in late, don't have boys over before asking, and make sure you set boundaries and let one another know for when you and a boy are "studying". Communicating about the rules and what you and the other feels comfortable with will help you have a successful year with your roommate. Make sure you keep them in mind when doing stuff in your room or late at night especially.