When we go off to college we are often allocated a roommate either by the institution or the person in charge of the hostel. Different people have different personalities; you have to keep your fingers crossed and hope that you get a roommate whose personality matches with yours. Avoid pre-judging your housemate before they talk to you; be nice to them, and get to know them.

Set ground rules on how to run the room, form a duty roaster and share duties equally. When cooking food together with your housemate consider their allergies, their likes, and dislikes. Be generous and considerate with your roommate’s feelings.

Communication is the key to a healthy relationship with anyone; you should talk to your housemate on situations that you don’t agree with, and issues that piss you off. An open system of communication makes one able to relate well with the roommate. Address disturbing issues at very early stages; do not wait until they are grown as they could get out of hand. If issues are big, address them too.

Be friendly to your roommate and address them with a friendly smile plastered on your face. This enables them you to relate at a very good level, you don’t have to hang out a lot together, have the same study group, or be best friends.

Stay open to new ideas and change; in case you disagree with something speak out and let your roommate know. The exchange of ideas will help you build a conducive environment for your co-existence. Do not try and change their lifestyle, you were both raised in different backgrounds, instead try and learn more about their lifestyle.

Invite your roommate to activities that you are doing such as; going for spa dates, going to parties with your friends, watching movies, and ordering takeouts. Including your roommate to some of your activities helps them to get to know you more, and you also get to know them more. These hangouts help one to create a strong bond with your roommate.

You should always be respectful of your roommate’s things. Always ask for their permission before you take into possession their items, no matter how small or big. Respect between roommates builds a very strong foundation of how they relate. Respecting their space can also go a long way as they will also return the favor; do not bring your friends into your room for long hours, as this may inconvenience your roommate. You should always set your pride aside and apologize for your wrongdoings.

Always keep the door and windows locked if you are not in the room to avoid theft of personal belongings; this enables your roommate to see how thoughtful you are and their attitude towards you may soften with time.

Treat your roommate as you would like them to treat you; this enables you to treat your roommate well and they will exchange the favor, creating a good environment between the two of you.