Roommates 101

          One of the hardest relationships to keep are the ones of the people you live with. All I can offer is my advice backed by my 3 years of experience. I have had the worst roommate to the best back to the worst and I’d say the main culprit is knowing how to deal with small issues before they become huge blowouts. I’m currently wishing I had known how to address smaller issues sooner, but it’s also important to know the person your living with if they are going to be a friend. This may sound confusing, but in my experience “pot luck” or random roommates are not a bad option. There is very little need to have anything more than a professional situation and it can even turn into an acquaintance or possibly a friend. That being said, if you want to live with a good friend there are a lot of things you must consider. One, how well do you know that person (really), what are their living “quirks”. Two, ask yourself if you and your friends on the same page on budget, size, location, etc. it’s really important to be on the same page and to discuss it before the lease is signed. Finding the right person to live with is only the first step, living with that person is another part of this touchy situation.

      

           Living with anyone is a different situation than anyone can imagine. There is the business aspect with bills, room choice, and buying supplies (kitchen supplies, furniture, etc.). This can add a lot of strain to a friendship, so it’s helpful to have a plan before you sign and discuss how that will work. Things to talk about could be how to allocate the bills, such as will someone pay the bill and the other tenants can pay that person with cash or check, or the bills could be paid each month by alternating tenants. Next you need to consider who will bring what stuff to fill the apartment. It is extremely important to constantly keep a positive attitude and not to bring personal issues into the arrangements. The best advice I could possibly give is to truly evaluate what living situation will best fit your life. Sometimes the fun of living with your friends can overshadow the possible advantages to living alone or with a random roommate. Every situation is different and everyone has different priorities and you must make sure you make your own priorities instead of trying to alter them for the situation.