As we get settled into the school year, syllabus week has passed and the summer air is waving goodbye, we are now learning about the adjustment – The adjustment of living with your best friends.
Here are some pros and cons to living with your best friend(s) and why they both can make you better friends in the end:
Pros
1. Cooking together and trying new recipes.
Eating with my roomies is my favorite. Almost burning down the house is NOT. Try figuring out a time that everyone is free and plan a dinner. It does not have to be extravagant, but something homey. Check out Tasty Eats on Facebook and try not to drool when you watch their videos on new recipes!
2. Getting ready together
Talk about hogging up the bathroom… Kidding! (Things can get serious in there when it comes to final touches before the night begins.) Getting ready together is a pro when living with friends because you don’t have to keep sending pictures of each outfit to your Groupme and waiting for responses. They are right across the hall and can tell you if it is a yay or a nae for that outfit you want to wear.
3. Knowing you can be entirely yourself with the person you are living with.
Running across the floor from wall to wall in your socks jamming to your favorite song will always be welcomed when it comes to living with your best friend(s). Being yourself is exactly what you need when you come home and your roomies feel the same way.
4. If you have a crisis, they are right there to help you. Whether it is at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.
Knowing your best friend(s) is down the hall from you or right next door is a relief when you just ran out of printer ink and need to print an assignment before bed, or when you get a mysterious text and don’t know how to respond. Your best friend(s) is right next door, you might not even have to get up to communicate!
5. Knowing you can fall asleep and wake up to them every morning.
When you open your door in the morning and get to say hello to your best friend(s), or have a great day at work, or even wishing you good luck on your presentation, makes all of the difference in your friendship. It will brighten your spirits and your best friends too.
Cons: Obstacles that make you closer in every way
1. Gaining the courage to say you do not like something and moving forward with solutions.
It is always hard to tell someone you are close with that you do not like something. It is natural to not want to disturb the peace going on within the relationship. But being comfortable enough to go to your friend and communicate in a respectful way and look for solutions is the key to keeping the peace.
2. Smoking the whole house trying to cook dinner but being forgiven because next time your roomies will help you with cooking.
All I can say is… WE HAVE ALL DONE IT! Better luck next time!
3. Having consideration for your roommates like lowering the volume on your midnight jams so one of your roomies can sleep.
This is something that you and all of your roommates work on together. They aren’t sacrifices but more so considerations. It is you understanding and being understood. Working through this will create an understanding among all roommates and an open communication forum.
4. Having company over that you would rather not deal with.
This is a situation that deals with open communication. It needs to be expressed to your best friend(s) that you would prefer those people not be in the house, or it needs to be ran passed you if that is all right to have those people in the house. Like I have said before, communication is key!
Altogether, living with your best friend(s) can be the best and worst thing of your college career. It is all about what you make it. Set goals with each other, express things to each other, and you’ll have a lifetime of friendship!