I’ve had 3 roommates in 2 years. One was someone random freshman year, and the other 2 were friends I chose to live with sophomore year, one per semester.
I came to see that whether you’re living with a stranger or best friends, you will have disagreements. What’s most important about those disagreements is that you cannot let it ruin your friendships because you can always change where you live, but losing a friend or even making an enemy is much harder to reverse.
It’s hard to transition from family you can really mess with to someone who you probably don’t want to offend as much. Family is always family, but roommates…can spit on your toothbrush or set your clothes on fire without batting an eye (I’ve heard stories, okay). It’s hard to go from not having siblings to someone who is by your side 24/7 whether you like it or not. It’s all very difficult but it’s just another challenge you have to work through.
So when it comes down to it, my roommates taught me so much. How to not be a mouth breather, how to move quietly and be sneaky when others are sleeping, and how to handle a contagious sickness in a confined space.
