It’s about that time again — time to look for a place to live and new roommates to live with.

I’ve had my fair share of bad roommates so I know how difficult it is to live with someone you can’t get along with. Despite any negative experiences I may have encountered, at least now I know what to look for when choosing someone to live with.

Here are are a few ways to avoid having a bad experience with a roommate:

Facebook and other social networks are a great place to get to know some qualities about your potential roommate. We’re all victims of lurking on social networks, so why not put it to good use?

Knowing what their social life is like is one of the most important factors of choosing a roommate. It will determine how close your relationship will be or how much you will clash.

Respecting each others quiet hours will reassure that there are some boundaries that should never be broken.

It will always be an issue if roommates can’t agree on a set of quiet hours that everyone in the house has to obey. It could lead to not getting enough sleep or insufficient time to study.

If they live nearby, ask to meet up. It’s important to be able to communicate with the person who could potentially become your roommate. This will also show that you are interested in trying to get to know them.

Cleaning habits are key when living with other people, there is nothing more aggravating then having to come home after a long day to a dirty house.

Considering just some of these things could eliminate the worry of having to choose a good roommate.

Veronica De La Cruz can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.