Having a roommate or roommates for the first time can be a challenge to many people. That is why it is important to come up with simple rules so that your living space can be a great environment for everyone. So here are five roommate rules every classy co-ed should make.

Make rules for guests. You and your guests should feel comfortable in your room, and so should your roommate. Having rules for when and what is appropriate for guests is a great way to make sure everyone is comfortable.

• Think about: appropriate times for having guests, how many guests are appropriate, and appropriate guest activity. Also, consider what would be inappropriate activities for your guests.

Make rules for quiet time. Your room is a place you can study, sleep, and get away from the chaos of campus. Having designated quiet time can help relieve stress with school and prevent stress with your roommate.

• Think about: having designated homework hours, designated sleep hours, and if necessary time for each of you to have to room to yourself.

Make rules for personal space. Having space that is only yours is important because living in a small space can feel like you share almost everything. But make sure that you have an area that is all yours, like a corner with your desk or a comfy chair that is just for you.

• Think about: what kind of space you want to make for yourself, how much time you will spend in that space, making sure it’s presentable for guests.

Make rules about what to share. Many roommate disagreements can come from sharing things that may not have been meant to share. Putting your name on something is a good indicator that it is not to be shared. However, sometimes girls may have a fuzzy line when it comes to sharing things like clothes or beauty products. Making sure you know what your roommate is willing to share and that they know what you will share with them is important to keep your space argument free.

• Think about: buying sharable items in bulk, marking items you don’t want to share, talk about what you want to keep to yourself. Some items roommates can easily share are dishes, message boards and cleaning supplies.

Make roommate time. Make sure you and your roommate have some quality time as well, whether is it homework time or watching a show together. It is important to get along with the people you live with, especially when living in a dorm because it is such a small space.

• Think about: what you and your roommate have in common, how you can motivate each other while doing homework, what kind of fun activities you can do together.