Assuming the ark didn't get ESPN, I wonder if Noah ever considered passing the time by writing a how-to-book on living with roommates. He certainly would have been qualified.

The man spent over a year confined to a mobile petting zoo that could've doubled as a supermarket aisle (inhabitants included chickens, turkeys and a man named Ham). That makes Gilligan's three-hour tour seem like a Caribbean cruise.

And if God had stretched Noah's life span beyond his scant 950 years, into, say, the 21st century, he surely would have been invited to speak at colleges about living with others. He knew it's not easy.

But look on the bright side: Living with a roommate has great potential for joy and growth, and it may even be more educational than some of your classes. Building the relationship just takes communication and mutual respect.

I remember being thrilled when I got a "roommate questionnaire" in the mail before my freshman year of college. I figured that meant college officials were going to hook me up with someone exactly like me!

I was assured of that when I received a roommate named Tim who loved God and basketball. Bingo, I thought, a match made in heaven. But it wasn't that easy: There were plenty of differences too. Lucky for me, Tim was a good communicator. And through my experience that first year, I can now pinpoint a number of issues that all roommates should discuss before one of them has his toes inadvertently stomped.

Through research (OK, I asked my mom), I've found that college students are extremely particular when it comes to sleeping habits. Some like to go to bed at 11 p.m., while others hit the sack at 11 a.m. An understanding of your roommate's sleep patterns will be appreciated—and hopefully reciprocated. Work out a schedule and treat each other with respect.

But once you figure out when you're both sleeping, a new problem comes in: waking up. I, for example, sleep deeper than a hibernating grizzly bear. To compensate, I own an alarm clock that sounds like a rooster with a megaphone. I have received complaints about its noise from neighboring countries—so you can imagine what Tim must have thought. To make matters worse, I'm one of those people who subconsciously hits snooze every seven minutes for like three hours.

Obviously, my sleep habits needed a wake-up call. I had to adapt so I didn't drive my roommate crazy. Tim helped get me up in the mornings, so I worked on getting out of bed before my alarm crowed more than three times.

I was surprised to learn upon attending college that someone other than my father thought my room should be clean. Here again is an important concept to hash out with your new roommate. Tim liked to hang his clothes in the closet, whereas I tried to keep the closet empty so I'd have a place to throw my clothes on Parents' Weekend.

Once we took each other's habits into consideration, the floor looked a little less like it was carpeted with my clothing. And neatnik Tim tried to restrain himself from using my T-shirts as cleaning rags.

I think Tim was secretly competing with the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in efforts to break attendance records. He loved when a capacity crowd packed into our small room like a clown car.

Because I have a knack for decorating our room with my dirty pants, I was less enthusiastic about turning our room into Grand Central Station. I also just like alone time. I've heard rumors that some people are like me, but I've never met them. I guess that's because we're all in isolation. But in college, a man's room is his castle, and sometimes it's nice to be able to have a place to shut the door on the rest of the world for a while.

So before your roommate throws an all-school bash—and you get caught with your pants, well, lying around the room—sit down and find a compromise between his party place and your personal space.

Ah, the issue of music. This can be a touchy one. Ever hear about the guy who chucked his neighbor's stereo out the window after repeatedly hearing Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" waft into his living area? He lived on my floor.

Tim and I had pretty similar tastes, but I still felt like squirting hot dog condiments into his CD player every once in a while. The bottom line is that no matter how much I liked what he put on, there was something I would have liked just a little better.

Probably the best case study of this is the tension between country music lovers and everyone else. Some people can't seem to take even a little country in their music diet. Tim was fine with it, but I've had people pull a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde on me when I turned the dial to a country station. At that point, the following conversation generally occurred.

Country Hater (at the sound of Alan Jackson): Ohhh Nooo!

Me: What's the problem?

C.H.: Ohhhhhhh Noooooo! (Gasp, choking sounds).

Me: Whoa, chill out, OK?

C.H. (spitting fireball at radio, stopping Alan mid-tune): What are you looking at? I'm cool. No problems here.

I've heard this can happen with rap and hard rock too. That said, you might want to chat about musical tastes with your roommate before unpacking the CD player.

For introverted people like me, it's tough to come out and talk about those wimpy, girly things called "feelings." Like many guys, I find it easier to be macho and only show emotion when talking about football and car parts.

But a roommate will be able to tell when you have had a rough day, and if you're a feelings-bottler, and he's an emotion-gusher—or the other way around—there can be friction. Some people like to talk about their strains and stresses, while others would rather be left to themselves for a while. Just make sure neither of you bottles up anger toward each other or anyone else—a habit that's truly destructive.

Be sure this is on your checklist of topics to discuss when chatting with that stranger-turned-roommate for the first time.

Of course, all of this communication only works when it turns into action. Make sure you have listened to your roommate, and then respect him for who he is.

God's pretty creative, you know. He whipped up a bunch of unique characteristics for each individual, and when we learn to look at our roommates as special creations of God and not oddball aliens who deserve to be fed kitty litter (though it will seem that way sometimes), college will be even more fun.

One last thing: Pray. Pray for the roommate you have or will have. At college, pray with your roommate. It's all part of building an awesome relationship.

And when the floods come, perhaps you'll view your situation as a floating animal party and not a cage of wild animals.

By Kate E. Schmelzer

Wondering what to do about that strange person staring at you from the other side of your new room? Well, here are five very simple ways you can get to know your roommate … and five things that won't get you off to a good start.

1. Go to meals. One of the best ways to get to know your roommate is to just go eat in the cafeteria with others from your floor. If you're a quiet person or things are just awkward, being with other students means less pressure to talk all the time.
2. Participate in hall activities. Don't worry, you won't have to come up with everything for you and your roomie to do. Hall directors and resident assistants often plan regular events where you can just hang out. Plan to go together, and you'll be amazed how much these simple activities can get you talking.
3. Have late night talks. One way to build your growing friendship is by, yep, that's right, talking. After some group activities or just hanging together for a while, it gets easier. To get started, think of some questions to ask or show each other photos from home.
4. Play sports. Throw the Frisbee, jog or work out together. This is a no-pressure way to hang out. You can talk if you want, but you don't have to. Join an intramural team. Not only will you be playing side-by-side, but you'll automatically have something to talk about: "Can you believe that catch he made?"
5. Get active. If you have similar interests, join a club together. Or try attending an on-campus book discussion, volunteering at a local charity or going to church together. This way, you'll have someone with you when you try something new—and someone to share your impression with.

1. Get too attached. It's easy to assume you and your roommate will be best friends. But don't try to force a close relationship. Make lots of friends, be open to meeting new people, and don't suffocate each other.
2. Hide your pet peeves. Tactfully share what bugs you right away instead of letting annoyances or disagreements build up until three months later when your roommate keeps clipping her toenails on your bed. Yuck!
3. Borrow without asking. Sure, you may be open with your things, but always ask first. This especially applies to food and to clothes you want to borrow. Talk about your "territory," and respect your roommate's.
4. Take problems out of the room. Talking about disagreements with your roommate with other students can start gossip and cause hurt feelings. If things are too bad to handle between yourselves, then ask for help from your resident assistant or hall director.
5. Live like it's just your place. If your roommate has a huge chemistry test early the next morning and needs to study quietly, don't invite a group of friends over for a movie marathon. Be respectful and remember: Communication is everything.

Special thanks to Myka Merrell, a counselor at Taylor University Fort Wayne, Indiana, for input for this article.

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