One of the most unnerving aspects of college is meeting the person with whom you will be sharing a small dorm space. You probably have a million concerns and questions about meeting your new roommate. Will she like me? What will we talk about? What if we don’t have anything in common? Fear not. This first-time meeting doesn’t have to be as awkward as what you are picturing in your head. Here are some suggestions on how to break the ice with your new college roommate.

Use facebook messaging. Most colleges send out roommate assignments sometime over the summer. In order to ease the awkwardness on move-in day, add your new roommate on facebook and send a message introducing yourself. Give a little history about yourself and talk about how excited you are to start college. This is also a great time to determine who will bring the big items, such as a microwave, refrigerator, TV, etc. If you want to coordinate your dorm room with your roommate, you can also message about decorating themes, organization ideas, and space concerns. Facebook also gives you a chance to get to know your new roommate a little better by checking out his likes, interests, and pictures.

Pick up the phone. Facebook is a good starting place for breaking the ice with your new roommate, but if you want a little more interaction before move-in day, you should make a phone call. The more personal interactions you have before move-in day, the more comfortable you will be with one another. Having that initial phone conversation will also make it easier for you to text questions if the need arises, such as when you are out shopping for dorm décor and supplies.

Smile and be nice. Once move-in day arrives, it’s important to have a good attitude. People who smile and are friendly are much more approachable than those who appear irritated. So even if everything is going wrong while moving in, try to smile your way through the day. This simple step should help ease any nerves or tension between you and your roommate on the big day.

Ask questions. The best conversationalists are those who ask questions and really listen to the answers. By asking your new roommate questions about his life, you will learn common interests, thus bringing a new opportunity to get to know each other better by sharing those interests together. The best approach is to ask a few general questions. After that, you can branch off to a more interesting topic to discover more mutual likes and dislikes. Some good conversation starters are:

• What high school did you attend?
• Which majors are you considering?
• What book inspires you?
• What type of music do you listen to?
• What are your favorite TV shows?
• What do you do for fun?
• What are your favorite restaurants?
• What clubs are you planning to join this year?
• What are your top five favorite movies?

Focus on setting up your dorm room. Even if you find that you don’t share a lot of common interests, you do have one thing in common: organizing and decorating your dorm room. Discuss the best placement for furniture. Offer to help unpack her boxes. Work together to hang posters, pictures, etc. Offer suggestions on organization strategies. Helping each other out while you create a comfortable living space will definitely help break the ice and make for a less awkward move-in day.

Invite your roommate to explore the campus with you. Your new roommate is in the same boat as you. Both of you are just starting college and everything is new! Invite your roommate to walk around the residence hall with you to meet new people. Go try some new restaurants on or around campus. Check out the activities happening on campus, such as movies, programs, work-outs, etc. By going out and exploring the campus together, you will bond over new places, faces, and ideas.

The first-step to developing a positive roommate relationship is getting to know a little more about him or her. Hopefully, these tips will help you break the ice so you can form a bond and friendship with your new roommate. For more tips on building and maintaining a good relationship with your roommate, read Roommate Matchmaking.

Because space is limited in dorm rooms, knowing what to pack and what to leave at home is crucial. Your teen will probably want to pack most of her belongings, so you may need to coach her on what should be left behind. If you need to purchase items, amazon and dormco.comhave extensive selections of products for the dorm room. Here is a guide to help you and your child pack for dorm room living.

What to Pack

The Big Stuff
Make sure your student gets in contact with his roommate before purchasing any big items for the dorm room. They can divide up what to bring so there will be enough space for everything. These big items may include:

• Mini fridge
• Microwave (if allowed by the college)
• TV
• Seating

Room Essentials
The dorm room should be your child’s home away from home, so don’t forget to pack:

• Bedding (extra long twin-size sheets, comforter, pillows, mattress pad)
• Computer
• Desk lamp
• Phone
• Alarm clock
• Rug
• Wastebasket
• Filing cabinet
• Small fan

Clothing
If your teen will be able to come home from time to time during the school year, she doesn’t need to pack clothes for every season. She should pack for one season and then switch the clothes out the next time she is home. This will leave her with a lot more closet space. Just make sure she packs:

• Jeans
• Shorts
• T-shirts
• Long sleeved shirts
• Walking shoes
• 10-day supply of underwear and socks
• Two formal outfits
• Swimsuit
• Raincoat
• Pajamas

Laundry Essentials
You won’t be there to do laundry for your child, but you can make sure he has the right items to do it himself.

• Laundry bag
• Detergent
• Fabric softener
• Stain remover stick
• Rolls of quarters
• Sewing kit
• Iron

Toiletries
Your child will have to share a bathroom, so be sure to pack a tote so she can carry the following items to and from the restroom:

• Shampoo/conditioner
• Soap
• Razor
• Deodorant
• Comb/brush
• Toothbrush/toothpaste/dental floss
• Lotion
• Hair dryer
• Towels/washcloths
• Robe
• Shower shoes
• Makeup/perfume

Miscellaneous Items
These items are often overlooked during the packing process, so be sure to put them on your child’s list:

• Hangers
• Umbrella
• First-aid kit
• Mp3 player
• Checkbook
• Health Insurance Info
• Cleaning supplies
• Flashlight
• Surge Protectors
• Basic tools
• Plastic cups/plates/utensils

What to Leave at Home

Basic Furniture
The dorm room should already be furnished with the basics, so leave these items at home:

• Bed
• Dresser
• Desk
• Desk chair

Objectionable Items
Your child’s college has a list of items that students CANNOT bring, so be sure to check that list. The most common items on these lists are:

• Some electric appliances
• Candles
• Halogen lamps
• Gas/charcoal grills
• Weapons
• Explosives/fireworks
• Pets

Items She Just Thinks She Can’t Live Without
Because your teen is so used to her bedroom at home, she probably wants to pack as many items from her room as possible to try and recreate it. But make sure she keeps it at a minimum; there will not be room for:

• Her collection of stuffed animals (she should pick out her favorite one)
• High school yearbooks
• A lot of frames with pics of family, friends, pets, etc. (she should toss out the picture frames and make a collage to hang on the wall instead)
• Knickknacks

For tips on how to make your teen’s dorm room a cozy place to live, read Dorm Room Decorating.

At most schools, you have the option to choose your own dorm roommate (based on mutual preferences), or you can let the student housing department choose a roommate for you (based on personal preferences, such as sleeping patterns, etc.). If you decide to choose your own roommate, you should make sure that person has the qualities of a good roommate before you submit your request to the school. Try to find a roommate who is:

Trustworthy. Having a trustworthy roommate is crucial. Is she responsible enough to clean up after herself? Can you trust him around your personal belongings? Can you depend on her to take and relay your any messages?

Respectful. Of course, there will be times when you and your roommate will disagree, but if you pick a roommate who is respectful, then disagreements should be easily resolved. Pay close attention to how your prospective roommate handles others with whom he has issues. Does he blow up easily and cause unnecessary fights, or is he respectful of the other person’s feelings while trying to communicate in a calm manner? Just keep in mind that a little politeness really does go a long way.

Cooperative. When conflict arises, a good roommate is one who is willing to compromise and work as a team to come up with a solution. You don’t want a roommate who is willing to take but not give. To build a cooperative relationship, you should discuss your commonalities and differences before you move in together so you will know how much compromising you may have to do.

Friendly. You do not need to be friends with your roommate, but it does encourage a healthy living environment if the two of you are friendly towards each other. Is your potential roommate the kind of person who could still be cordial even if the two of you had a minor disagreement?

Patient. The old saying is correct: patience is a virtue. You don’t want to live with someone who’s going to get mad at you every time you snore or leave your bed unmade. Try to find a roomie who stays patient when she gets stressed out or annoyed.

Compatible. It’s always nice to live with someone who is compatible with you. For example, if you like to go to bed early and get up early, try to find someone who likes to do the same. Rooming with someone who doesn’t share the same sleeping patterns as you can be a nightmare. Furthermore, you should try to find a potential roommate who is compatible to you when it comes to cleanliness, smoking, guests, etc.

Communicative. Communication is the key to having a healthy relationship. Try to avoid the type of person who keeps his feelings bottled in when a problem occurs. It’s only a matter of time before those minor issues build up into an explosion that could ruin the relationship. Instead, look for someone who can openly express his concerns when roommate issues come up.

While these qualities are good for your potential roommate to have, keep in mind that you should also strive to possess these same virtues in order to be the best possible roommate that you can be. For more information on choosing and living with a roommate, read Roommate Matchmaking.

Space organization can be tricky when you live in small living situations such as college dorm rooms. We love this closet organizer from dormco. It’s perfect for giving you more storage space, while keeping your clothes and accessories neat and organized.

Ahhhh college, little cash and never enough food. It’s no wonder that roommates grab whatever is in the fridge even if it doesn’t belong to them! Make sure your tuna sandwich stays safe with this anti-theft lunch bag from Dormco. A fun dorm room security essential!