Dealing with roommates might seem like an endless war, but there’s no need to bring the invisible tape out to split your rooms down the middle.

Kathleen Moore, a student counselor, gave her advice on how to make roommate relationships work.

“Whether you like it or not, your roommate is going to be the one person by your side for a year,” Moore said. “Support one another and be each other’s rocks.”

Her tips spell out the acronym ROCKS:

1. Respect: Respect one another’s property, time and space. This means asking before borrowing and being considerate of your roommate’s wishes.

2. Open up: Trust and learn to talk to each other. Go to your roommate for advice.

3. Clean: Your home is their home and their home is your home. It is an equal, shared space. Set rules or a mutual understanding for your temple.

4. Kare (Care): Don’t just listen, but really hear and care about what your roommate has to say. Be the roommate you would want to have. Always remember, kindness is contagious.

5. Solve: Address issues and effectively agree to compromise and find a solution.

Julie Ramos can be reached at [email protected] or @julie_ramoss on Twitter.