When I was growing up, I never had to share a room. Naturally, I went into freshman year of college thinking it would be an absolutely brutal experience. The idea of sharing my personal haven with a complete stranger made me uneasy and I had read horror stories about terrible roommates. After finishing freshman year, I returned to my single bedroom at home and realized that sharing a room with someone was one of the best parts of the year.
1. Never really running out of anything.
The beauty of having a roommate is that if I happened to run out of something -- gum, tissues, hair spray, toothpaste, cute clothes, etc. -- I never panicked because I knew all I had to do was ask to borrow some until I had time to run to the store. Problem solved.
2. The endless supply of new music, videos, memes etc.
Without a doubt, every week introduced me to a new song, silly video, or slightly inappropriate meme to make my day just a little bit better. Instead of having to pray that I come across some new fabulous piece of media, I could always count on my roommate to provide it.
3. Always having a clean room.
Half of this was because I didn’t want to make an embarrassing mess in front of another human being, and half was simply common courtesy. Either way, the room was always (mostly) clean and as soon as it wasn’t, we worked together to clean it.
4. Mundane tasks becoming fun and enjoyable.
Cleaning never was so fun. With a roommate it’s easy to clean when you have someone distracting you. Doing homework didn't seem so tedious, either. Getting ready for bed was always full of joking around and messing with each other. By myself it's definitely not exciting.
5. There is no such thing as a boring night in.
Without a roommate, I spend my time staring at my computer screen or the ceiling and eventually just falling asleep. With a roommate, these boring nights call for story time and binge-watching each other’s favorite TV shows or spontaneous dance parties.
6. You always have someone to talk to.
Generally speaking, this becomes a problem when you can’t stop talking at 2 a.m. and you both have 8 a.m. classes in the morning, but not having a roommate gets a little lonely sometimes. It’s so nice always having someone to talk to even if it’s just about the weather.
7. When your roommate doubles as a mirror.
Plus, they give feedback! The amount of time I spend standing in front of the mirror trying to tell whether or not my eyeliner is even is just sad. Being able to ask your roommate whether or not your eyebrows are truly on fleek or whether your outfit really works is one of the few small joys in life.
8. Always having someone to talk to about all of the drama in your life.
From boy issues to family problems, having a roommate is great because they can give you advice or just sit there while you vent. Better yet, they can be your partner in crime if someone does you wrong.
9. They can also double as a personal trainer, cheerleader, and life coach.
When I was in a rut I could always count on my roommate to provide the little nudge I needed to do whatever I needed to do. The last set of squats? Immediate personal trainer. Scary interview or hard test? Automatic cheerleader. Need advice on literally anything? Instant life coach! Without a roommate I have to go search for silly YouTube videos and that just takes so much effort.
10. Having a second mom.
If I’m sick or tired there’s always someone there to help make me feel better, no matter what the ailment. Having a roommate means there's always someone there making sure you're safe, happy, and doing well.
11. Making unforgettable memories.
When I met my roommate it was clear that I was going to be fine. Having a roommate simply implies that memories are going to be made and obviously documented on all forms of social media. I'm forever grateful that I got to experience having a roommate and all the memories we made that I am now missing. After all, it’s hard to have #RoommateGoals if you don’t have a roommate.
