10 Reasons Your College Roommate Is Your Best Friend

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For most of my life, I had my own room. I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted because I lived alone, so you can imagine the reality check that happened when I went to college and had to move in with a complete stranger. I mean, we were Facebook friends and met up once or twice (but there was still always a possibility she was a serial killer).

I was nervous. I had heard all the horror roommate stories of them turning out to be psychopaths, and my Mom always told me the way I lived in my room back home would make my roommate want to move out. But, lucky for me, all those assumptions were wrong. I may have gotten lucky, but I can confidently say my roommate is my best friend. She deals with all the things my Mom hated about my room back home: my messiness and tendency to let cereal bowls sit out for days (sorry, Jess, I’m working on it). Yet, my roommate still loves me for who I am. Here are ten reasons why your college roommate is your best friend.

1. You have someone to talk to at night.

This is routine for us. She will be on her loft bed, I will be on mine, and we will talk all about our days, things we are stressed about, drama happening in our friend group, and about our futures. It’s the absolute best way to end every day I have here at school.

2. She will eat food with you at any hour of the night.

Whether it be a pizza Lunchables or a late night trip to the cafeteria for some cereal and cookies, she makes sure you don’t feel bad about yourself for eating so late at night, and there is no friend that gets any better than that.

3. Her closet is your closet and vice versa.

One of the best things about getting a roommate is that my closet doubled. I always know that if I can’t find anything to wear in my abundance of clothes, I have a whole other closet to sift through.

4. You always have someone to take to a date event.

Even though you still freak out about looking for the perfect guy, it is always comforting to know that you have the solid option of taking your roommate. It is a given that you two will have the best time together.

5. She is your mom away from home.

She will leave the door unlocked and a light on when you come home late at night. She will hold your hair when you just had too much fun at a party. And, sometimes, if you are nice enough, she will get you some cookies from the cafeteria to eat while you are studying.

6. She will cry with you when you are homesick.

Chances are, she is homesick too. She already knows about your family and all your best friends from back home, so it’s easy to cry on her shoulder because she knows what you are missing out on. You don’t need to give her a background story, you can just cry. And best of all, you can cry together.

7. You have a show you watch together.

Whether it be Friends or the 11th season of Grey’s Anatomy, you have a schedule to watch your show together. It doesn’t matter how busy either of you are, you make time for each other.

8. She has seen you at your worst and your best.

Your roomie sees you at all hours of the day. She knows every mood you have and what you look like when you first wake up. Whether it be your messy bun in the morning or your face dotted with your acne medicine at night, she never looks at you differently and loves you all the same.

9. And because of that you are not embarrassed in front of her — ever.

Even when she walks in on you watching High School Musical on the futon alone, she will plop down right next to you and sing along.

10. You cannot imagine not ever living with her.

But even if you do part ways, you will make it a point to see each other every day because a day without seeing your roomie will never, ever feel complete.

 

 

7 tips to help you have that awkward conversation with your roommate

You’ve moved into your new college dorm, and you really hit it off with your roommate. Everything’s going fantastic, until your roommate’s new significant other is spending a wee bit too much time in your 10×12 dorm room. Or your roomie’s late night study habits are conflicting with your sleeping habits.
When you’re living in close quarters, conflicts are bound to arise. Sooner or later, you’ll need to talk about it with your roommate, but it might be harder than you think. Here are 7 things to keep in mind about having that awkward (but necessary) chat.

Speak now or forever hold your peace

Speak up, because the longer you wait, the more frustrated you will be and the more surprised your roommate will be. It’s going be a shock to the system if for the last three months you were a-ok with keeping the TV on all night, but all of a sudden you’re unhappy about it and your roommate doesn’t understand why.
Maybe you’ve been upset about it since day one, but haven’t expressed it until now, so sooner you speak up, the better everyone will be.

Pick your battles

Sometimes little things turn into big things — or add up to big things. As a general rule, let the little stuff, like an over active alarm clock, go. Big things, like excessive noise keeping you up all night, you should bring up.

Timing is everything

If you (or your roommate) are tired, frustrated or otherwise stressed out, it’s not the time to have that talk. The heat of the moment isn’t the time for negotiation either. Wait until you both calm down and are thinking clearly. It might help to ask to sit down with your roommate in advance, instead of springing it on them at the end of a long day.

Do it privately

Don’t do it in front of a friend or significant other, this is between you and your roommate. Don’t let someone else get in the middle, tempting one of you to force your roommate to take sides. But, if you do need an objective third party to mediate, reach out to your RA, not a friend or a significant other.

Signs to show that you need a Roommate

5 signs that you need a Roommate

  1. You come home wanting to talk about your day to someone. There are people who like coming home to a quiet apartment. And there are those who become depressed at the thought. If you hate coming home to an empty apartment, then you may need a roommate. Just make sure you find a roommate you’re compatible with.
  2. You have no money to yourself or to put in savings after paying off rent, utilities and basic living needs such as food and transportation. Roommates help you save money. Sometimes, rent is cheaper with a roommate. Also, roommates split the cost of cable television, utilities and home supplies.
  3. You hate cooking dinner for one. Find yourself cooking a platter of lasagna and freezing it for weeks as you slowly finish it off? Maybe you yearn for a buddy to help with the cooking, cleaning and, of course, eating.
  4. You like having friends who know what you look like before you put your face on. Roommates have a special bond, because you’ve seen each other when sick, tired, crabby and sans make-up or hair gel.
  5. You have a dog and need help walking it. Just kidding. I threw that one in as a joke. But, if you do have a dog, it would be nice if your roommates shared the responsibilities of taking it outside. It’s also a good idea to share pet safety concerns with your roommates.