With the recent release of the college thriller “The Roommate,” it is only fitting that I write a column on the dos and don’ts of being a good roommate, or at the very least, one that’s not psychopathic.

I’ve got this whole “roommate thing” down. Thus far in my college career, I have had seven roommates, and before that, I shared a room with my older sister for most of my life. While living with my sister was distinctly different than living with my peers — my college roommates and I never needed to split our room in half using duct tape — it taught me how to live with others.

Living with other people is not always easy, but learning to do so is something that every college student should know. It’s one of those “life skills” we hear about so often and something we will take with us after we graduate and become grown ups. Or at least that is the hope.

Given my expertise in the area of “roommating,” I have compiled a list of what I will call the Four C’s to make an ordinary person into an exceptional roommate.

Like diamonds, the best roommates can be brilliant and precious, both a treasure and a gem. And like diamonds, roommates are a serious investment. So it is important to make sure they qualify before choosing one. This is, of course, after making sure you yourself are as polished as possible.

In no specific order, I have found my best roommates have been compatible, considerate, clean and communicative. Allow me to elaborate.

Let’s start with compatible. It seems obvious that you’re far more likely to get along with someone who has similar interests as you, but compatibility runs deeper than the fact that you both like “Glee”. Even if you both only watch the show because Noah Puckerman is “pucking” sexy, that is still no guarantee the roommate relationship will float. And what’s the only ship that never sinks? Friendship. So in order to be a good roommate, you’ve got to be friends. And not just Facebook friends — creeping on their pictures and then passing judgment on their lives — actual living, breathing friends.

In this day and age considerateness is tantamount to chivalry — not exactly extinct, and quite refreshing when you’re reminded of its existence. Being a considerate roommate does not have to be a chore. It all comes down to that golden rule of treating people the way you want to be treated. When borrowing clothes, always return them in a better condition than how you received them. Do things without being asked — unload the dishwasher, take out the garbage, dare I say vacuum? Be aware of your roommates’ sleep schedules and be considerate when they catching up on their shuteye. The little things add up, with the result being one gloriously harmonious roommate bond.

Clean and be clean. This more-so applies to roommates who share an actual room together, but I think general cleanliness and good hygiene make anyone a very marketable roommate. I realize we’re all in college and it is acceptable to go a few days without showering, but your roommates should never have to suffer because you opted to dwell in your own filth. They should also never have to wade through mountains of your dirty clothes to make it to their bunks. Even those idiots on “Jersey Shore” understand the importance of doing laundry: Fresh to death.

Clear and open communication cannot be stressed enough. The first step is learning to nip the silent wars in the bud. Sure, it might seem easier to avoid confronting your roommate about that ever-growing pile of garbage — because you emptied it last time and now it’s her turn to take it out — but letting the trash, and your silent resentment, build up is not the solution. Have a conversation about it. Living with another person involves a lot of give and take and striking up the right balance between the two is the key to a healthy roommate-ship.

For instance, when your sleep-deprived roommate burns a hole in the teapot at 5 a.m. because she left the water boiling and fell asleep, forgive her. When you come home to find out your roommate vacuumed up a spilled milkshake, let her know that anybody could have done that, and that the sour milk smell will go away eventually.

When your roommate is too inebriated to make it to the top bunk, do her a favor, and let her crawl into the bottom bunk with you. When your roommate decides to decorate the walls with shiny things she finds in the street, let it go. Some battles are not worth the fight, and in the end, the friendship is worth having an old T-shirt of The Rock plastered to your living room wall.

Kelly is a senior in Media.