Imagine a perfect day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing; you get a great seat on the bus, receive an A on your English paper, and find out your midterm for chemistry has been canceled. You get home, ready to relax and enjoy your evening, but when you walk into your apartment you see the trails of popcorn around the living room and dirty socks lying on the kitchen counter. Your roommate greets you with an innocent look, and while you try to smile, you’re secretly struggling to resist the urge to strangle them.

Roommates have the potential to make or break a living arrangement. A good roommate can become a best friend — someone to share the responsibility and pick up the slack on bad days. A bad roommate, however, can become a constant source of annoyance and frustration in your life.

Finding a compatible roommate might take a lot of work, but meeting someone who suits your lifestyle is worth it. But, before you can start your search, you must first decide what type of person you are looking for. Do you want a male or a female, a morning or night person, a smoker or nonsmoker? Also, establish a plan to divide the costs of rent, utilities, and living-expenses, so any prospective candidates will know exactly what to expect. Determining which factors are most important now will save a lot of time later.

Next, decide on how you want to contact any potential roommates. There are a variety of ways to find a roommate. Many apartment complexes offer roommate matching compatibility services.

“Every person who signs a lease fills out a roommate preference card,” said Lori Monroe, leasing and marketing manager at The Reserve. “This form has all of their personal information as well as if they smoke or drink, how neat they are, how often they study, etc.”

Most roommate compatibility tests only focus on living and routine choices, such as cleanliness, smoking, and sleeping schedules. Nevertheless, these can be helpful in weeding out which candidates would not be suitable for each other.

“We go off the basics first, and then we look at the particular details,” said Cody Quintero, bookkeeper and assistant manager at The Exchange. “We haven’t had any issues with people we’ve matched.”

If you do not want to use a roommate service offered by your apartment complex, there are alternate routes to take. An ad in the newspaper or Craigslist.com is one way to go. Just make sure the ad lists what qualities you are looking for, as well as the costs of living there. This allows applicants to “self-screen” and will narrow down the number of candidates to interview. There are also roommate matching services offered online at websites such as roommates.com and roomiematch.com where a person can search for potential roommates in their area.

Once you find someone who seems promising, it’s imperative to meet with them in person before accepting. Interview them for the characteristics you’re looking for. Asking for credit references is also a safe way to avoid a situation later.

“Just make sure you’ve gotten to know your roommate before you move in so you can decide if it will work out,” said Charley Park, a senior from Chicago.

Finding a compatible person is vital to your happiness and the happiness of your roommate, as well. Don’t be afraid to say no if you’re unsure — it’s better than being sorry later on. Still, no one can be completely perfect. Be flexible on your demands and work together with your potential roommate to reach a compromise that is best for both of you.

— Edited by Kristen Liszewski