Moving in with a friend can make or break your friendship. Living with someone is a big commitment, so here’s a list of things that you should consider before shacking up with a friend:
1. Are you the same level of cleanliness? Cleanliness (or lack thereof) is a potential source of conflict between roommates. I mean really – nothing is worse than someone who can’t pick up after themselves. So, avoid this issue by asking ahead of time.
2. Are you a night-owl or an early bird? In my first year, my roommate stayed up all night while I slept, and vice-versa. Talk about being on different schedules. If one of you is a night owl and the other is a morning person, you might want to rethink the rooming situation.
3. What’s your relationships status? Whether you have a significant other that you want to have over all the time, or prefer a casual hook-up here and there, it’s important to address this situation ahead of time.
4. Do you want to share food? Nothing is worse than coming home to find out that someone else ate your food that you’ve been thinking about all day. Avoid this issue by asking your potential roommate if they want to share food or not.
5. How do you feel about house pets? The last thing you want to do is move into your new house to find out your roommate has three cats – oh AND you’re allergic to cats. That could be a disaster.
6. Are you a smoker? Living with a smoker can be a deal-breaker for some, so its an essential question to ask each other.
7. How often do you drink? Whether you’re a frequent or not-so-frequent drinker, it’s important to be considerate about your roommate’s feelings. If you have an 8:30 class on Friday morning but your roommate loves to celebrate Thirsty Thursdays, you might not mesh all that well.
8. What’s communal and what’s not? It’s important to decide ahead of time what you will or what you won’t share, like shampoo or toothpaste. Prevent misunderstandings by addressing this ahead of time.
9. Do you like having guests over? Are you someone who loves having people over, or would you prefer having a quiet home? Either way, it’s important to be on the same page as your potential roommate.
10. Is there anything else you should know? If you have any allergies or are planning to pick up playing the drums any time soon, it’s probably important to share that now.
Once you and your friend get these considerations out of the way, you can start on the exciting journey of becoming roommates!