For most of my life, I got my own bed to sleep in, except for at hotels or when we had a lot of guests in the house when I had to share with my sister. Coming to college I've had to learn how to share after countless movie nights with 3 people falling asleep in a bed or even learning how to sleep with a significant other in the bed next to you. When my mom got her apartment, my sister and I have to share a bed at her place since there is only two bedrooms. So here's my list of pros and cons of sleeping with other people:
Con: Depending on the size of the bed, there may not be enough room for both you and someone else. I've learned that twin and twin XL beds are not meant for 2 people, let alone 3 on movie nights. Full sized beds are even a struggle some nights. Better hope you get the side with the wall because, if not, you might be on the floor by the end of the night.
Pro: There's someone there for when you have a bad dream or if you are scared of thunderstorms and wake up freaking out. When there's another human there to comfort you, it just feels like you're a tad bit safer when they're there.
Con: When they kick. Or punch. Or bite. It's all in their sleep, but damn it still hurts. Especially when you wake up with your face hurting and just see their foot settling down at the foot of the bed.....
Pro: Other people are a wonderful source of heat, and when it's 20 degrees out and your heat isn't working the best way to get warm is another human being.
Con: When you sleep alone for a while, you learn starfishing is a real way of sleeping and it's wonderful. So when you share a bed with someone, they might not be too keen on you starfishing your way onto their side of the bed.
Pro: When you find those few people who are completely okay cuddling or even find someone who you fit so well with that, even though there's not enough room, you somehow find a way to both starfish and are comfortable, even though there's someone sprawled practically on top of you.
Con: If you sleep like I do, you wake up every single time the other person moves. Every. Single. Time. Switching which foot is up? I'm awake. Turning over to the other side? Awake. Getting up to go to the bathroom? I'm so awake that I can even be bothered to check my phone at 4 am.
And the list goes on....
But no matter what, when you get used to sharing a bed, it gets a bit easier, but some nights are better than others. My biggest advice is to talk about what you and the other person like and don't like about how the other sleeps. If all else fails and there's no other beds: pillow wall.
