Freshman year, it's practically inevitable. You will have a roommate living in close quarters with you, whether you like it or not. However, with each year, it seems to become more common to have your own room in your dorm or apartment. I have taken the opposite route and will continue to live the shared room life for at least another year.

I have had both good and bad experiences with sharing a room, but in the end, both have shaped me for the better. Cohabitating is an important skill that teaches cleanliness, responsibility and most importantly — an ability to get along with others. It can be difficult at times, but I think that sharing a room has made me a better person (at least in some aspects).

I do understand that some people may not have a choice and are forced to share a room, but to me, the benefits are still the same. I’ll be the first to admit that my room at home can become quite a state when it’s just me in there. But with a roommate, I am hyper self-conscious of my cleaning habits. Just the presence of another person there is enough to motivate me to take better care of my space.

I have also learned the hard reality of compromise and acceptance. Sometimes, your roommate will want to go to bed 3 hours before you and sometimes you’re the one wanting to sleep in a few extra hours the next morning. Nobody has the exact same schedule, and it requires quality communication and understanding to keep tensions low when dealing with differences.

I have tried living silently next to one another as well as having an open dialogue and trust me when I say the latter is far better. Effective communication not only helps to work out weird sleeping schedules, it is an important skill that will reap loads of benefits in the future.

Sharing a room is a humbling experience one that I think everyone should experience at least once. It can seem difficult at times, but it only makes moving into your own room that much sweeter, while leaving you with useful experience for the future ahead.