You need to find someone that you can trust, since you will be spending so much time with them, and they will have access to your belongings. Someone that shares similar interests helps, since that usually cuts down the number of arguments, while increasing the number of common activities you do. The flip side to this is that someone who has different interests can expand your horizons. You also want to choose someone who's habits don't conflict with yours, pick someone with a similar schedule as yours, you don't want to be woken up early by a roommate, or vis-versa. If you are obsessed with neatness your roommate should be fairly clean, pick someone that is compatible with you. Try to find someone that has a good personality, someone that you can get along with and is cooperative, and willing to work towards a solution should a problem arise.

Compatibility, while most often used to find a room mate in college, is not the best way to determine who you will enjoy living with. Sure, it helps to have a few common interests, but if you become too close, it will be hard to seperate the friendship from the room relationship. A room mate should be respectful of your stuff and lifestyle, just as you should be with their way of doing things.After finding someone who might be a good match, make sure you are on the same page on the main issues of the room so that both of you will know how to handle an issue if it arises.

These solutions are all easier said than done. You know that phrase, "you don't know someone until you live with them"? IT IS SO TRUE. Someone that you might be best friends with or share similarities can be a totally different person when they're sharing your room or apartment.

The best advice I can give you is know yourself. Are you a quiet person who needs quiet to study/sleep/survive? How tidy/messy are you? Figure out who you are and your preferred living conditions. If you know what you need and what you can tolerate, then the roommate search will be easier.

When it comes to establishing a relationship with your future roommate, be upfront with them. Tell them what you need for a harmonious living situation and ask them about their needs. In the dorms, the R.A. will facilitate this by having you sign a roommate agreement/contract. There's no need to be so formal, but figuring out house rules is the best way to keep you from murdering the roomie in the middle of the night after he/she left their dishes in the sink or forgot to replace the toilet paper.

I think a common misconception is that you have to be friends with your roommate. Having a friend that is a roommate might cause more harm than good in many cases. It's tough constantly being around someone, even if you are very good friends. Eventually, arguments will start creeping into Friday/Saturday night conversations and no one will be happy.

My best roommates have been the ones that I am courteous and cordial with, but not necessarily friends. Sure, you'll inevitably end up hanging out a few nights of the week, but you have your social circle and they have their's.

Having a roommate that is not a good friend tends to make it easier to "drop the hammer" and bring up those tough subjects, like whose turn it is to clean the sinks.

When it comes down to one thing that is basic, you have to make sure your roommate will pay their half of their rent. I currently live in an apartment and have never had to cover for my roommate, Theresa, since the semester started. However, I have heard my friend Christopher complain to me that he had to pay for his roommate's share because that person did not have money at the time their rent was due.