One of the biggest transitions about going to college is living with a roommate. Not only is going to school enough to cope with, but more often than not, you end up living in a shoe-box sized space with one, or more, roommate. Luckily, the hit TV show “Friends” gives viewers tips and tricks on how to live with a roommate and what you should expect.
You’re going to have awkward walk ins. Whether you walk in on them changing or jamming to their favorite song, it’s bound to happen. On move in day my family and I walked in on my roommate in her robe- but hey, it only makes you closer!
Considering you will end up spending a decent amount to time with your roommate, you are going to go out into the world and experience new adventures as a dynamic duo. College is all about trying new things and there is no one better to do that with than your roommate.
It is very likely that your sleep schedule and your roommate’s will not be the same. So if one night your roommate comes home and is a little too loud, take a deep breath and go back to sleep. There’s no need to start a fight just because you’re in a cranky haze; truth be told, you will probably do the same at some point.
Over time, you’ll feel out who your roommate gets along with really well and who pushes their buttons, as will they. This is when the role of being each other's therapists kicks in. Whenever you need a vent session, call up your roommate to talk/scream it out, they’ll know exactly how to calm you down and you’ll end the conversation feeling so much better than you did at the beginning.
You will share clothes. It just comes with the territory. Eventually your closets will merge into one and you won’t be able to tell what belongs to who.
Not only are you roommates, but you’re each other’s designated hype-men/women. On your laziest of days, you’ll need that extra push to go to the gym, or you’ll need someone to pour coffee down your throat during an all-night study session, let your roommate be that person for you. At the end of the day they have your best interest at heart.
The key to a healthy living environment is honesty. You have to tell your roommate when something is bothering you, even if seems like it’s the smallest thing. If you don’t, all the small things will pile up and build into an explosive, unnecessary argument. Being honest, although potentially awkward in the moment, is the golden rule of living together.
You'll find yourselves getting overly excited over anything and everything. It may be something as small as agreeing on what Netflix show to binge watch on Sunday nights, or getting a new outfit, whatever it may be, get excited! It's the little things that get us through the day.
Your roommate will become your best friend. With the amount of time you're going to be spending together, all that you'll experience, seeing each other at your best and worse, allow the friendship to happen and learn to love it... who doesn't want to live with their best friend after all.
