It seems as if now a days rooming with your best friend is seen as some inevitable end to a long-lasting friendship. People always warn best friends not to room together because of the so called "devastations" it can leave on friendships. Apparently rooming together is the unforeseen sign of denouement of the relationship. But what if this disaster could all be avoided? I mean, there has got to be a way two best friends can live together without hating each other, right?

So why is it so hard to imagine two best friends living together and not hating each other by the end of the semester? Probably because more often than not friendships do end once their tragic "roommate fate" begins. But this doesn't always have to be the case. How do I know that? Well only because I am a prime example of the "best friend being my roommate" situation. Although I am the exception to the rule. Instead of leaving the year with one less friend, I ended it becoming closer to my roommate! Yes, I know it seems pretty impossible, especially with all of society telling you so, but it's not, and it's easier than you would imagine it to be! Follow some of my helpful tips to help make you and your roommate have the best year of your life!

1. Don't get too comfortable

This is probably one of the biggest issues with friends living together. When you are living in a situation where you are already close to the person you are rooming with, it's sometimes hard to remember that although they are your friend, they are most importantly your roommate. This means remembering that even though you feel like watching TV in the dorm maybe you should consider your roommate first to see what they are doing. Do they have a huge test coming up that they need to cram for? Are you interrupting something important they are doing? Are they trying to take a nap? Try to think about your friend as a roommate instead of just your best friend and this will help when reminding yourself to be considerate of your roommates needs.

2. Respect each others wishes

The first thing you should do when you move into your room is to set some ground rules. Making sure that your roommate understands your wishes and that you understand what your roommate asks of you to do. Once you both come to an agreement of some guidelines to follow it's important to make an effort to stick to those demands. There might be some rules that maybe you don't see the need for or that you don't personally care about, but respect your friend enough to follow these requirements letting your roommate know you value their concerns.

3. Communicate your feelings often

The easiest way to avoid fights is to make sure feelings don't get pent up between you and your roommate. If you ever have a problem with your roommate make sure you go to them right away and talk through whatever is troubling you. By allowing yourself to freely communicate with your roommate, it makes it easier for them to feel comfortable coming to you with any problems they might have as well. This makes those dreaded confrontations not so scary or dramatic. Another important part about communication is to not get offended with what your friend says. If your roommate voices a concern about you not picking up after yourself don't be offended, just understand that it bothers them and move on.

4. Dedicate time to spend with each other

I know this sounds totally like something you would hear in a cosmopolitan magazine on "how to have the perfect relationship", but this definitely applies to friends as well. After a long week of stresses from school it is nice to have a good laugh with your roommate, watch a movie, or even just having a quick dance session. Taking some time to keep the love flowing in your friendship and giving a quick reminder of this can be an easy way to keep the friendship strong.

5. Have separate lives

This is probably one of the most important things to remember if you decide to room with your best friend. Keep in mind that you probably spent a good amount of time in high school together, you have some of the same friend groups, and you do live together now. This means you will be spending a great amount of time together! So when you go to college and you want to join a club, sports team, or any other activity, try not to do the same thing as your roommate. I know it is scary going to a place where there are tons of new people and you are living in a whole new environment, but trust me when I say don't do absolutely everything with your best friend. Branch out and try new things and allow you and your best friend to go separate ways for a little! It's okay to not do all the same things your roommate does. By doing your own thing you meet different people and get that time away you might need. This also can expand your circle of friends! Now you can hang out with your best friends new friends and your best friend can hang out with your new friends!

Although it can be scary when deciding whether it is worth it to room with your best friend, it doesn't have to be! Rooming with my best friend was one of the best decisions I made my freshman year! Don't let the fear of what society tells you will happen to your friendship stop you from rooming with your best friend. As long as you remember to follow these helpful tips you can make your friendship grow even stronger and make living with your best friend more of a joy rather than a pain!