Communication is key to roommate bliss, says Residence Life official

The two key issues are respect and communication, said Terri Precopio, interim area coordinator for the Department of Residence Life.

"Sometimes the most opposite people make the best roommates," she said.

Other characteristics to look for are honesty and sense of humor, Precopio said.

She said that if someone is planning to live with a friend, it is important to establish rules about buying food, borrowing clothes and studying habits.

Norma Scholl, regional supervisor for Arizona Commons apartments, 931 N. Euclid Ave., said that neatness and common hours are the most essential factors in deciding who to room with.

Whether the potential roommate smokes and parties should also be considered, along with how responsible the person is, Scholl said.

Courtney Luce, an atmospheric science sophomore, said that respecting privacy and being willing to cooperate with each other's schedules are key in deciding about a roommate.

The best roommate is "someone who likes to have fun but can also take things seriously," Luce said. "They shouldn't have an attitude."

Micheline Rathburn, an accounting and finance sophomore, said a good roommate is one with a separate but compatible lifestyle.

The person should also be considerate and easy to talk to, said Becky Everhart, a music education sophomore.

Understanding differences and agreeing to disagree are important, said Ryan Rockey, a music education sophomore who lives in La Paz Residence Hall.

Residence Life offers a "roommate agreement" - a contract to help roommates talk about issues such as buying food and pet peeves.

"I got a roommate this semester and we never filled it out," said Gina Gral, a dance freshman. "I fought all of the time with the roommate I had last semester and we did fill it out."

She said the roommate agreement probably had nothing to do with whether she and her roommate got along.