I really don't know where I would be without my roommates. As a college student, I'm constantly busy. It seems as though I'm always either in class, doing homework, working, or attending to extracurricular commitments. I very rarely find myself with free time, but when I do, I spend it relaxing in my apartment.

Ahhhhhh. There's absolutely nothing more satisfying than returning to my apartment after a long day and dropping my hefty backpack to the floor. My three roommates usually greet me with inappropriate jokes and banter. I almost always respond with even more inappropriate jokes and banter. They retaliate, and the process continues.

After our fictitiously hostile exchange concludes, my roommates and I share a laugh. One person then turns on the PS4 while the rest take their respective seats on the couch.

"So, what's it going to be tonight, boys? Netflix? Hulu?"

"I'm down to watch 'The Office.'"

"Nah, I'm not feeling it. Put on Hulu so we can watch 'The Eric Andre Show.'"

"C'mon. We've already seen every episode like six times."

This confrontation lasts until someone takes the remote and puts something on. We have an unwritten rule in our apartment: no arguments are permitted when something is on the TV. Once the slap bass sound from "Seinfeld" commences, tensions immediately subside.

As I sit there mute, my eyes are glued to the TV, but my mind is elsewhere. I often take a moment to digest everything going on in my life during these situations. I vent internally about school, money, priorities, romance, and a million other things. This stress-induced coma persists until I take action.

I take a sip of water, release a deep breathe, and clear my mind of all distractions. In the third person, I tell myself, "There are so many good things in your life that you don't appreciate enough. For example, look around you."

I peripherally glance at the individuals situated next to me on the couch.

"These guys. Who are they? No, they're not just your roommates. They're your brothers. You all hail from different backgrounds. You all maintain different skills and interests. Hell, none of you even look alike. But you all share one thing, and that's love for each other."

The tornado raging inside my head comes to a halt. My conscious escapes back into hibernation and reality begins to take shape. I hear a fuzzy voice nearby, but I am unable to discern its origin. I hear the voice again, but this time, I'm able to interpret it.

"Yo Matt, are you coming or not?"

Not wanting to look like an idiot, I replied in the most natural manner I could think of.

"Does the Pope shit in his hat?"

All four of us burst out laughing. I'm glad they understood the "Breaking Bad" reference. Or maybe they didn't. Maybe they were just amused by the ridiculousness of such an inquiry.

We exit the apartment as an impenetrable unit radiating happiness. The smiles widen, the bonds strengthen, and the love intensified with each second that we're in each other's presence.