Living with a roommate can be quite the challenge and we’ve all heard the horror stories about awful roommate situations. Respect and common sense can go a long way when dealing with roommates so be sure to follow these simple tips to make sure that you are the best roommate you can be.

Set ground rules. Be upfront with your roommates about your expectations involving food, possessions, use of common areas, cleaning responsibilities and guests. Establishing rules for each of these from the beginning will help decrease conflict in the future.

Clean up after yourself. No one wants to come home to someone else’s mess, so put your dishes away and don’t leave clothes or other personal items all over common areas. For shared spaces create a cleaning schedule with your roommates and divide up responsibilities.

Respect privacy. Don’t go through your roommates’ rooms or borrow their things without their permission. You wouldn’t want someone messing with your stuff so leave theirs alone as well.

Be considerate. Be courteous of your roommates’ sleeping and studying habits and try to keep noise levels down especially during the week. If you are considerate of their needs, hopefully they will be mindful of yours in return.

Be willing to compromise. It is inevitable that you and your roommates won’t agree on every little detail, so be prepared to give and take a little.