So school has started up again, and with it, we've moved back into dorms and apartments. Places where we may have our own room, but not our own bathrooms.

These shared spaces do not belong to one of us, they belong to all of us. So here are some things to keep in mind that will keep your hallmates, roommates, and suitemates from wanting to strangle you.

1. The facilities

Okay, this should be fairly straightforward. Do your business, and make sure the evidence of such a thing is gone. That means making sure the toilet flushed, you didn't leave anything on the floor, and the seat doesn't have droplets on it. You hate it when people don't remember these things, so don't be one of them.

If you use such things, properly dispose of your sanitary napkins and tampons in a trash can, not in the toilet. This should be common sense, but every year countless toilets end up clogged by people trying to flush these items. Just don't do it and your floormates will appreciate it.

Also, make sure you don't leave your phone behind. Just a word of warning.

2. The sinks

If you're lucky, you have one to yourself. If you're not, then you need to remember that no one wants to try to set their stuff down to wash their face and have to dodge globs of your toothpaste. When you use the sink, make sure you're not leaving behind anything in the basin or on the counters. Also be sure to check that you haven't left water all over the counter. If there's towels around, clean it up.

3. The showers

We all like being clean. Moreover, we like the places we get clean in to be clean as well. So when your hair ends up all over the walls from your vigorous shampoo and conditioner routine, pick it off. It's your own hair, it won't hurt you.

Secondly, remember that shower stalls are meant to be used by one person at a time. No one wants to realize that you and your significant other are doing whatever it was that Jefferson did at Monticello in there. Even if all you're doing is talking, still, just take separate showers, okay? Until you have your own bathroom, don't inflict that on the rest of us. It's uncomfortable when all you want to do is put in your contact lenses and you realize only one shower is running despite there being two voices.

So that's it folks! Read this and remember it the next time you're using the communal bathroom. Get into good habits early on and they'll stick around. Everyone you share it with will be grateful for your thoughtfulness, and no one will spend the entire time they're brushing their teeth wondering if they should report you to the RA or not.