Your best friend is the one person you count on for everything; the one who always has your back. However, beware of having your best friend as you’re college roommate.
If there is one thing I have seen break up friends faster than a stab in the back, it's being roommates freshman year. Sure, you have had sleepovers with your friend and things have been fine, but that is an entirely different experience from actually living with them. If you’re reading this and are already living with your best friend then don’t worry, I will give you tips on how to manage both living with and keeping your best friend.
You can run into many problems when having your best friend living only a few feet from you. For starters, they are always there. You might be used to seeing your best bud everyday at school, and maybe on the weekends, but that’s usually it. However, now they are constantly going to be around you. When you wake up and eat breakfast, they will be there. When you get out of the shower after a long day, they will be there. When you are studying for a final, they will be there. When you are trying to get away and have some peace and quiet, they will still be there! Personal space becomes a thing of the past, especially if you are living in a traditional style, fixed furniture, dorm. If you start to run into this problem of the lingering roommate, I have a solution for you. Take some time and find a special spot on campus or in your town that you can take a break and relax. Whether that is in the library, rec center, or coffee shop, find that spot and go there when you need to wind down. This might seem like an obvious solution, but when your roommate is constantly in your room and occasionally being obnoxious, you’re going to want that home away from home.
The next problem is the little things that your roommate does that are going to drive you crazy. Because you only have ever seen you’re best friend in a school setting or in small gatherings, it might shock you when you discover their little habits. For example, during those little sleepovers their room is nice and neat, I’m sure because his or her mom made him/her clean before you came over.
However, after the 3rd or 4th week of living together, you might soon realize that your best friend is a total slob. They come in and throw their clothes everywhere, they skip the teeth brushing because they are always late for class, and during allergy season they keep a mountain of facial tissues where the trash can used to be. Not only are they a mess, but you soon come to realize, they chew with their mouth open, they play their music loud when you’re trying to study, and they invite everyone into your room without asking you.
This can become a real issue and there will be a point where you are ready to just attack them. Do not fear; all can be resolved with a little face-to-face confrontation. You can’t tell them everything they do wrong in one setting because you are basically saying, “hey you suck, fix yourself and clean.” When one of the many issues happens, explain to them what you want to be done and ask if they can start fixing the issue. Then, when something else comes up, do the same at a later date.
Now, they aren’t going to change everything about themselves to abide by your laws, because chances are you annoy them in some way or form as well. However, simple guidelines can create a harmonious living space for the both of you.
Lastly, be sure to hang out with your roommate/best friend. The one thing that always tears up best roomies is that they each find new friends and grow apart form each other. If your best friend is someone special and you intend to keep them, you need to make an effort to hang out with them and invite them along with you, even if you make new friends. Because you can always make new friend, but your best friend will always be there for you no matter what.
