One of the most stressful parts of university life isn't the tests, quizzes, tutorials or lectures, but the endless pressure you face when deciding on your housing situation next semester. Questions like “Who should I room with? [or] Where should we stay,” haunts every student throughout the year. It's a hard thing to cover and sometimes feelings get hurt, but it's your right to choose who you want to live with. It's also a decision you'll have to live with for the rest of the year. Some of the ways we can avoid stress and be more at peace with those we host are to start early, be honest with yourself and your current roommate or friends, and consider majors. and the personalities that might occupy your accommodation. Allowing yourself enough time during the year to figure out the room out, is an important part of stressing out, because you need to have that cushion and a backup plan if yours fails For example, if you have to tell a roommate or friend that you won't be rooming with them next semester, the thoughtful thing to do is to give the other person enough time to find another living arrangement. By giving the other person enough time to find another living arrangement, you will provide a cushion for yourself and your friend will take the news more easily (Miller, 2006). “It softens the blow” (Miller, 2006). Telling someone they can't be with you when they're expecting can be a difficult task to handle, and sometimes it's easier to leave it until the last minute because you don't want to deal with the drama. Putting off telling your friend/roommate that they can't live with you might seem like a brilliant idea at the time, ...... middle of paper ...... roommates have similar likes and dislikes, they have about the same sleeping or studying habits, and roommates perform better if they are both not aggressive than if they are both aggressive and outspoken. Additionally, two dominant and controlling personalities can create problems. If you follow these tips, you will be able to avoid all kinds of conflicts that may occur later. Works Cited Miller, R. H. (2006). College housing decisions: Choosing new roommates. In College Housing Decisions: Choosing New Roommates. Retrieved February 22, 2012, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/college-housing-decisions-roommate/2. (2010). The Journal of college and undergraduate housing, 36(2). Retrieved February 22, 2012, from http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/ journal_vol36no2/index.php?startid=17