Here are some do's and don'ts that may help make life with your roommate run a little bit smoother.
Do:
Establish boundaries. Are you okay with crazy parties lasting into the wee hours of the morning? Do you enjoy coming home to find that someone else has been sleeping in your bed or using your toothpaste? No? Well, do something about it before it starts!
Confront your roommate with any problems you are having. No one wants an argument over who is leaving the lights on at night to turn into World War III. Speak up!
Make financial responsibilities clear. Who is paying for groceries? Is everything split down the middle? Know what is expected of yourself and your roommate. No one wants to get stuck with the bill at the end of the month.
Come up with a meal plan. In the dorms it's as easy as walking downstairs and swiping a card, but apartment life is different. Who is going to cook the meals? Who is going to clean the dishes AFTER meals?
Don't:
Snoop in your roommate's room, trash their stuff or cause harm to them in anyway. Sometimes roommates can be a real pain, but for every horrible thing you do to them, remember that at some point you'll have to fall asleep...
Expect to be best friends with your roommate. Being nice is a must, but don't expect your roommate to spend every waking moment with you. You both have your own lives and don't necessarily have to live them together.
Sweat the small stuff. Lighten up! If the way your roommate leaves his/her toothpaste sitting on the counter in the morning bothers you, let it go! If it's not a big deal then it's not worth the fight or the impending aneurysm.