Living with your girls can be a hassle sometimes, but for the most part, it is fun.
When you live with your friends, you will always learn new things about them, no matter how well you knew her before. Maybe they cut their toenails in the middle of the kitchen floor. Maybe they're a stickler when it comes to washing dishes.
Maybe she sings whenever she cooks. And believe me, listening to a girl sing to her eggs when you’re trying to cram on the morning of a big exam can take some adjusting to. Unfortunately, there is no way to put this adjusting process in slow-mo. Like it or not, adjusting to your froomies way of living has to be done, but the same has to be done for them.
Living with your friends might not be as effortless as hanging out with them. If you don’t take the time to set boundaries and outline a few rules now, your froomies could become your roommate-ex-froomies fast. To strengthen your friendship and lock in a great school year, it’s important to set some roomie guidelines and stick to them.
Conflict happens when a whole bunch of girls are living together. One way to minimize those tensions that arise when your living space is to communicate. If you feel your toes are being stepped on, don’t be afraid to reach out (respectfully) to your friends.
And no matter how uncomfortable you feel telling your friends that something she does bothers you (you never had problems before!), you need to talk to her out loud. This means no angry texts and no nasty messages on the wipe-off board! Even though your roommates know you well, they won’t be able to read your passive-aggressive messages much better than any other person.
Hanging out with your froomies can hold both of you back. All it takes is one, "You didn't use to be that way," to feel trapped. Your froomies can quickly become your only friends if you don’t put in the effort to branch out. Joining different clubs, doing different things, having different friends, and being away from each other helps. People's froomies could talk about their days, have fun, and cook dinner.
Coming home to your froomies familiar faces can be comforting, but it takes hard work to maintain this comfort. By laying your expectations on the table in the first place, accepting the fact that conflict is inevitable, employing direct and respectful communication, and making time for both personal growth and bonding.
