When my suitemates first asked me to live with them, it was as if the heavens themselves parted and a choir of angels began to sing. It was the perfect solution to my rooming situation: I hadn’t figured out yet who I was rooming with nor where I would live. I was elated that not only did I now have someone to live with, but that these girls were some of my closest friends at school.

Now some people think that living with a friend or friends is a problem. They believe that living in close proximity with a friend for a large amount of time will bring out the worst in both and result in a torn apart friendship. Maybe they experienced it themselves or have heard horror stories from others, but these people are disapproving about friends living together.

However, I sincerely disagree.

Living with friends is a positive experience that I wish most people could have. After only living with my friends for a week, I can tell it was a good decision to accept their offer of dorming together. Living together strengthens the bonds between friends, allows them to get to know each other in a different way, and makes the experience of living on one’s own easier and more fun.

Janile Dabbous, a college sophomore, has been living in an apartment with her best friend for five months. At first people were worried that living together would ruin their friendship, but the naysayers couldn’t be more wrong. “Being roommates has made our friendship stronger in my opinion,” she said in an email.

I myself can attest to the friendship growing stronger, and will argue six reasons why living with a friend is beneficial.

1. You can share everything without worrying.

When living with a stranger or acquaintance, it may be awkward for you to ask them for favors; you don’t want to intrude or feel like you are bothering them. When living with a friend, you don’t have to worry about this. Your friend understands that you aren’t taking advantage of or trying to annoy them. They will gladly let you borrow their conditioner and shampoo, let you eat their leftovers, and would give you the shirt off their own back if you really needed it.

2. You never have to be alone.

Everyone needs alone time and a break from their friends, but living on your own without them makes it harder to see them on a regular basis. Not to mention that it can be boring or disheartening to live by yourself or with someone you aren’t very close with. Living with a friend means not having to worry about being by yourself. It makes hanging out between class time easier, since you both can head back to your place instead of trying to figure out somewhere convenient for the both of you to meet. You can have the safety and comfort of knowing that you have someone to come home to at the end of the day and with you throughout the night.

3. Their friends become your friends.

Since you and your friend/s are so close, their friends will eventually become your own. They’ll be coming over to your room or apartment all the time, which means you’ll have ample opportunities to get to know and hang out with them. After time, your friendship circle will have widened much more than it would have living with someone random.

4. You learn how to work together.

You and your friend/s will encounter many problems that you will have to overcome together. You’ll have to figure out who drives, who pays for food, who is going to clean the bathroom or the room that day, maybe even who gets the shower first. You and your friend will figure out the best way to live together in harmony; you might not necessarily do this with a stranger, instead trying to avoid any conflict or putting up with something that is bothering you. “Communication is the key,” Dabbous said. “If something is bugging you […] you need to be foreword about it.” There may be some tough or awkward conversations, but once the issues are addressed, you and your friend will be better for working past it.

5. You can go do things together and it’s convenient.

Since you are living with your friend/s, they’ll be up for anything. Want to drive to the diner at midnight? They’re waiting by the door with their keys. Need to run to the grocery store for emergency snacks? They’re up and ready. You never have to worry about not having plans or something to do, because your friend/s will always be up for going on an adventure or running an errand.

6. It builds trust in your friendship.

When you and your friend/s live together, there will be some things about them that you will learn, things that may change your perception of them. You will have to put your faith in your friend to keep the room clean, to not steal or lie to you, to be honest and caring. You will have to be comfortable knowing that not every day will be perfect, but that you and your friend/s will make it work and move beyond it. Dabbous has noted that she and her roommate sometimes have tough arguments, but they’ve “gotten past it and fixed the problems.” This has only made them trust each other more and made their friendship even better.