Some of us are fortunate enough to have a single, or maybe even live in suites if your college or residence area permits it. For me, I lived with a roommate during my freshman and sophomore years. Over the past two years I was fortunate enough to have roommates that I either enjoyed, or we "cohabited successfully".

Through this experience I learned the incredibly valuable experience that choosing just anyone to room with can cause difficulty in the long run. Choosing to live with your best friends can even become difficult. I think it is best to place a realistic lens on these decisions that may effect you for at least a year.

In dorms, it is much easier to switch, especially second semester. However, when you reach the point of moving off campus finding alternate housing is much more nuanced. Leases lock you into a contract, where you must pay your share of the rent. If you become delinquent on this it either falls on your roommates or cosigners, which I can tell you is definitely not fine. Thoughts and prayers for anyone left in that situation.

Subletting is the only option for relieving this issue, and let me tell you finding someone to fill a spot is definitely not always easy. I understand circumstance may change, and life completely changes our course at times. But truly think about who you are living with. I am definitely guilty of glorification.

In the end, you are most important and your education is part of you. Think about what you need in a roommate, and if things end up going badly, what effect will that have on your life and wellbeing. Personally, I have a lot of trouble sleeping. Honestly to the point where I probably seem like a snob, but I just need complete silence and darkness to sleep. Even then, there are times when I can't sleep.

Over the course of one semester, I probably slept for about 3 hours every night. Definitely not enough sleep for someone with a light schedule to function with, let alone a college student with an intense schedule and expectations. It was a time of maximum stress in my life, due to an extreme course load, and a lack of sleep definitely did not help. It is something that I feel awful to complain to roommates about, and to have effect them in any way.

In thinking of solutions, I realized that I either needed my own room or a z-room. Realizing these solutions and necessities in what we need in a living space is absolutely key. There are hard-no's and specific things we want in an apartment or roommate. Listen to those and if it means living with certain friends over others, take that into account. Don't doubt your wants and needs, or settle because you don't want to hurt someone's feelings. In the end if you're honest, your friends are more likely to respect you and care about your needs.

Think of your choice in living as if it were a new relationship, we have certain standards and things we expect and enjoy in significant others. An apartment and roommates are a similar situation in life. I wouldn't settle for qualities that seriously effected me or that I deeply disliked, so why would I ever settle for a similar living situation? Would you?