Having a roommate in college can be a strange experience; two people who have maybe never met, living together and coexisting in a relatively small space. Sometimes it doesn’t go very well, but sometimes, if you were like me, you get lucky, and you find a friend in the process.

I wanted to write this note to my roommate because I’ve been going through a rough time recently, and it opened my eyes to how lucky I am to be surrounded by caring, kind people.

To my roommate--living together doesn’t always mean you have to be close friends, but I’m very thankful that you’re one of mine. I might be your first roommate, but you aren’t mine, and I know how lucky I am to have someone who not only isn’t crazy but also who I get along with well enough to make us friends.

Thank you for filling the kettle with extra water so that there’s enough for both of us, it makes me miss my mom less.

Thank you for washing the dishes for me after you know I’ve had a week so long it felt like a month, it’s no one’s favorite chore but you know I like a clean sink, even if I don’t have the energy to do it myself.

Thank you for laughing with me at 11:30 pm when we should both be in bed or studying. Sometimes, the laughter is worth the tiredness the next day.

Thank you for telling me that it’s okay to be upset after a bad breakup, and ignoring the fact that I’d been crying when there were still tears caught in my eyelashes.

Thank you for talking s**t with me because you know being petty makes me feel better when I’ve had a bad day.

Thank you for putting up with my loud voice and cynical rants, when they come along (which has recently been often.)

Thank you for not judging me for the weird Canadian TV shows I like to watch because I weirdly love them so much.

And most of all, thank you for being a friend when I struggled to connect to others.

With love, appreciation, and pizza,

Your favorite couch-hogging roommate.