If you're headed off for your freshman year of college, there's a good chance that you'll be living on campus for at least the first year. That means living in a dorm room, which can mean big changes if you're used to having your own space.

Budget

First, know your budget for the semester. If you have savings, money from your parents, grants or scholarships, you may want to consider taking out a student loan if you still don't have enough. A student loan can also be a good option if you aren't eligible for scholarships or other types of financial aid. When you take out your loan, it's a good idea to pay attention to the terms of repayment and have some kind of payoff plan in mind, but keep in mind as well that after graduation, student loan refinancing is also an option. This can help you lower your monthly expenses when you're in that first job after college. When you have your loan and all your other funding sources in place, divide the total by the number of months it all needs to last in order to get your monthly budget. This lets you know how much you can spend on things for your room and other items.

Talk to Your Roommates

It would be nice to think you might end up being best friends with your roommate, but all you really need to be able to do is live together more or less harmoniously. There are topics to talk about before moving in that have to be discussed. Talk about your lifestyle habits and expectations for cleanliness and come to some agreements about how you'll handle things like coming in late and having friends over. Remember that compromise is the name of the game. Be willing to concede on your ideal situation, but don't let your roommates walk all over you either.

One more important tip that can go a long way toward making your dorm life more harmonious: get ear plugs and headphones. Noise-canceling headphones are best, but if that's beyond your budget, even ear buds are better than nothing. These devices will serve two purposes. They'll allow you to listen to music and podcasts or watch movies and shows without disturbing your roommate, and they'll also give you a way to shut out whatever your roommate's up to if they aren't as considerate as you are.

Decorating and What to Bring

Decorating may be something you need to consult your roommate on to some extent as well if you have vastly different tastes, but there are a few dorm room essentials that almost anyone can refer to that can help make your space more pleasant. Your bed will feel a lot better with a mattress cover. A plant can really brighten the room. If you're afraid you'll forget to water it or otherwise take care of it, look for a variety that's hard to kill. A mini-fridge can give you a place to store snacks and leftovers even if you're eating all of your meals at the campus dining hall. Look for clever storage solutions, such as bins that fit under your bed, shelves that go over your bed and over-the-door baskets. Consider a small safe for your valuables. If you're sharing a bathroom, you'll want a pair of flip flops to wear in the shower.

Know Your Balance

One of the toughest aspects of dorm life can be balancing a need for alone time with the need to mix with others. Whether you lean more toward the introvert or extrovert end of things, you may still overdo it in either direction. Introverts should make an effort to do a few social things with the other residents and chat with roommates. Extroverts should remember that even they probably need a little down time even though there are basically people around to talk to 24/7. They also need to be sensitive to their roommates if they're less sociable. Introverts may want to scout out a few places around campus where they can be alone, such as a quiet library corner, if they end up with roommates that like a more active social life than they're comfortable with. However, they should prioritize face-to-face socializing over socializing online. Whatever your usually tendencies are, college should be about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone sometimes.