a template .screenrc found on reddit here: http://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/cjla7/share_your_screenrc/c0t193i

.screenrc

# make bash our shell
shell /bin/bash

# detach on hangup
autodetach on

# don't display copyright page
startup_message off

#should resolve some "can't find display" issues
setenv DISPLAY ':0'

# scroll back
defscrollback 5000

# setup the caption
hardstatus alwayslastline "%{-b gk}%-w%{+b kg}%50>%n %t%{-b gk}%+w %=%Y-%m-%d %c%<"

# Set the altscreen so that when you quit vi, it will go back to
# what it was before
altscreen on

# a do-nothing bind so ^a s doesn't suspend screen
bind s

# for switching between regions
# ^k no longer kills a window, but ^K still does
bind j focus down
bind ^j focus down
bind k focus up
bind ^k focus up

#visual bell on
vbell on

#set bindings so we can easily access windows 10-18
bind  ) select 10
bind  ! select 11
bind  @ select 12
bind \# select 13
bind \$ select 14
bind  % select 15
bind \^ select 16
bind  & select 17
bind  * select 18
bind  ( select 19

# reminder: ^X deletes a region