Some people love them, and other people cannot stand them. Either way, it is hard to get through college without having at least one of them.

Roommates are synonymous with college, and this new school year marks the first time that many Trinity first years will experience the highs and lows that come along with sharing a room with someone who, in most cases, is a complete stranger.

When they find out their roommate assignments over the summer, many students feel tempted to jump on Facebook and start making assumptions  based on their roommates’ profiles. However, senior Lucas Poliak advises students to go in with an open mind.

“Don’t have any expectations of what your roommate should be like, because most of the time they will end up not meeting your expectations,” Poliak said. “If you come in without expectations for your roommate, you’ll find that you can be pleasantly surprised.”

Along with an unassuming attitude, senior Jonathan Hernandez thinks that honesty is crucial to a successful year with a roommate.

“Transparency is key,” Hernandez said. “Be open with each other, but don’t be rude or abrasive about how you’re feeling. Keeping those thoughts bottled up leads to plenty of awkward situations and feelings being hurt in the long run.”

Above all, communication between roommates is usually what makes or breaks the living situation. Never resort to sticky notes to solve problems. Instead, always make it a point to sit down and talk with each other face-to-face if an issue arises.

“Try to keep a constant stream of communication between each other, and be easy to reach through your cell phone,” said senior Christian Tovar-Vargas. “Try to find common interests that will provide good talking points, and if there’s a conflict between y’all, talk about it and resolve it quickly. If all else fails, resident mentors are there to help sort things out.”

Roommates do not have to be best friends, but respect for one another is a must for a positive relationship.