Showing up late to a lecture and having 500 pairs of eyes turn and stare: awkward. Finding an acquaintance kneeling before a trash can in response to a rough Thirsty Thursday: awkward.

College is full of awkward moments, but one might trump them all: moving into your room with your family when the knob on the door turns and opens to present … your roommate.

For many students, college is the first time they’ve had to share a room since infancy. For the vast majority, though, college is the first time the other person is completely random. Roommates are always hit-or-miss, but no matter what the case, rest assured it will eventually work out and you will learn to cope.

If you already have your roommate assigned, be thankful. There are countless students who still don’t know whom they’ll be living with, let alone where they’ll even be living.

By now, you should have at the very least introduced yourself. When doing so, remember that you’re a human and your roommate is as well. Try to avoid statements like this excerpt from a real introductory email a potential roommate sent to a friend of mine:
“I’m very particular about keeping my kitchen utensils clean.”

When introducing yourself to someone, it’s probably best to keep your nudist tendencies or smoker’s cough as a surprise for later. Odd tendencies will only make your roommate anxious, as will judging someone via his or her Facebook page. As hard as you work to make your page portray you as the chillest bro, the hottest babe or the wisest pothead, keep in mind that your page might not reflect exactly how you are as a person.

The same goes for other people. If a person seems bizarre over Facebook, there’s a pretty good chance they’re not this way in person. Hold off judgments until you meet him or her in person. The results will surprise you.

If your roommate turns out to be just like you, then you’re in luck — you automatically have a friend to hit up all of the first week activities with. If the person turns out to be “weird,” stay positive — you’ll have some good stories to tell your friends back home. You by no means are required to be friends with your roommate, you only have to get along.

If the person turns out to be an international student, embrace the opportunity. A roommate with a different culture or background than yours presents a chance to make yourself more worldly and mature by learning about how his or her life is different from your own.

If your roommate happens to be Leighton Meester from “The Roommate,” keep your chin up — maybe they’ll make a movie about you. His or her psycho murders aside, you’ll eventually learn to adapt to whichever type of roommate fate gives you.

Now is the perfect time to begin a communal inventory of who’s bringing what. Essential items to discuss are the refrigerator, television, microwave, futon, etc., a.k.a. the big stuff. When discussing this, keep in mind what you’re going to want to keep in the future. Are you really going to have any use for a mini-fridge after you’re out of the residence halls?

Having a roommate is one of the quintessential parts of being a freshman in college. Everyone has horror, hilarious or happy stories — prepare to make your own.

But if all else fails, you can brace yourself for the most awkward living situation of all: telling your roommate you’re moving out.