Choosing a college roommate is absolutely a life-altering decision, kind of like getting hitched to your soulmate. 

Your roommate is yours in sickness and health, for better or worse. The right choice can lead to lifelong friendship, memories, and happiness; the latter could quite literally ruin your first taste of the college experience.

My freshman move-in experience consisted of tearful goodbyes, lugging around heavy luggage, decorating, re-decorating, and decorating one final time to make sure my space was absolutely perfect to house the life (and party) of two college newbies. 

My hardest goodbye came as my mom walked out the door. I looked across the room at this beautiful, blonde stranger — my new roommate — prompting cold sweats and nervous shaking. I directed a look of pure desperation at my mom: 

“DO NOT leave me with this stranger!”

The truth? No matter how many facebook messages are passed between two strangers, no matter how well you think you know them, you really have no idea who someone is until you live with them. 

For me, it was not so much getting along with this girl that was the issue. It was the fact that I was unfamiliar with living with another person in my space all the time. 

With that, here are four essential truths to learn about roommate life. I found these to be helpful when living with a stranger (or anyone) for the first time: 

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Sometimes “being alone” together is what you need

Living with anyone is an adjustment, and with that comes the understanding that everyone needs some quiet, personal time once in a while.