Unless you live with your best friend or significant other all through college, it is most likely that, at least once, you will have to live with a complete stranger. While this can be awkward, there is a contrast between personality differences and having to deal with the roommate you hear about in horror stories. Here are some pointers when it comes to figuring out potential roommates, as well as advice for dealing with less-than-comfortable living situations

Hang out with them beforehand

Before you sign a lease, or have a new potential roommate sign one, set aside some time to hang out with them beforehand. This can be as simple as going for coffee or lunch. It’s advisable to meet two or three times (in a public place for safety) to get a feel for the new people you’ll be living with, and if you pick up on any red flags, you can change something before a lease is signed. One thing to keep in mind: If you’re complete strangers, it’s unlikely that you’ll instantly click and get along as though you’ve been best friends for years. But, you should be able to tell if living together will be bearable, or if it’s a situation to be avoided at all costs.

Tidiness and cleanliness

Once you are living together, it’s extremely important to establish basic ground rules and standards for keeping the common areas clean. A good idea is to draw up a contract with expectations and standards, so everyone knows what is expected of them. Ultimately, it’s a matter of basic etiquette. It’s one thing leaving a few dishes in the sink for a few hours, or maybe a day, but make sure to rinse them first so food remnants don’t crust over and attract flies. Don’t leave crumbs all over the counters or kitchen table. If you use the last of the toilet paper, replace the roll. If it’s your new roommate that’s getting on your nerves and not following these guidelines, don’t expect him or her to read your mind — talk to them. It might be worth leaving a note first, and then if they still don’t change their ways, sit down and have a one-on-one conversation. If they still don’t change after two or three of these conversations, then it might be time to re-think your living situation.

Food and personal belongings

Unless you’re living with a close friend, it’s generally not advisable to take someone’s food or borrow his or her belongings without asking. If they’re not home, wait until later. When it comes to food, it’s often a good idea to come up with a list of things that everyone eats, and each person can take turns buying them at the store, or the bill can be evenly split. For everything else, it’s probably best if each person buys their own food. It’s important to label everything that you don’t want touched; unless your name is on it, many people feel it is fair game, so be warned.

When a roommate won’t pay his or her fair share

This is a very difficult situation, since the bills must be paid, even if your roommate won’t cough up the dough. If he or she is genuinely hurting financially, it might be a good idea to give them a month or two of leeway, especially if they’ve recently been laid off and are actively looking for a new job. However, if after two months or more they still can’t pay, it’s time to gently tell them they should look for an alternative living situation or move home with their parents. It’s not fair to have to pay extra because of a stranger’s personal problems. And, as much as you might feel sorry for them, it’s ultimately their responsibility to sort their life out.

For dorm residents

If you’re living in the residence halls and truly can’t stand your roommate, it’s worth talking to your floor resident adviser and asking them about your options. While it can usually be dealt with early enough in the quarter, if you wait too long, you’ll typically have to tough it out for the remainder of the time. However, getting a new room assignment may be difficult, since the residence halls are usually crowded, with more students getting assigned to triples than in the past. If nothing can be done, it might be worth looking into off-campus housing for the following quarter.

Reach reporter Katie Paff at specials@dailyuw.com