I’m sure we all have the same stereotypical images in our heads when we think about how college boys live: dirty clothes thrown around a room, dishes pouring out of the kitchen sink, and an insane amount of garbage everywhere you turn. That’s how I always imagined it, anyways. So when I found out I would be living in a flat with two boys during my semester abroad, I was terrified. My mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of whether they would put the toilet seat down or if they would help clean the common areas. I honestly did not know what to expect and had prepared myself for the worst. Now that I’ve actually experienced what it’s like to live with college boys, I wouldn’t say my previous assumptions were wrong. Boys are just as gross as you’d think, eating fries off the floor and using the same fork for every meal just to avoid washing one. They do, however, deserve more credit than I initially gave them and here’s why:
- They’re laid back, easy going, and pretty oblivious.
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Boys are so interesting in this way. They mind their own business, keep to themselves, and try not to be a problem. Not to say that girls are nosy and problematic but guys will just say, “what’s up?” and without waiting for your response walk away and continue on with whatever they were doing. Girls are more involved and invested with how people are doing, or at least that’s how I was with them!
- They always seem to be around.
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I don’t know if it was just coincidental or if my male flatmates just never left the flat, but anytime I went into the kitchen or living room one of them was there just chilling. I actually appreciated this quite a bit because if I ever wanted to talk to someone I knew they were ready and willing.
- They’re so entertaining!
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If there’s one thing I learned from living with men, it’s that they can make any time a good time. From playing the bagpipes at 2am to lying on the kitchen floor, eating a sandwich and contemplating life to playing tag in the hallways, I was never bored as long as the guys were around. I can only imagine the shenanigans they got into when I wasn’t around.
- They’re lowkey your biggest fans!
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Whether I was getting ready to go out or just coming back from a day on campus, I could always count on a random, “You look nice,” or “I like your scarf,” to lift my spirits. I’m not sure if they have a sixth sense for this kind of thing but they always seemed to know when I needed a compliment most and made sure whatever they said to me was going to make me smile.
- They try their best.
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Yes, they are messy and tend to leave a dirty dish or two in the sink but they are actually more conscious of the fact that they’re sharing spaces with women than you would think. They constantly did the “heavy lifting” like taking out the trash and killing spiders. They never left the toilet seat up (surprisingly). But most importantly, they were super responsive to any requests we had. If I asked them to clean up their mess in the kitchen or to put away their papers in the living room, they immediately responded with a, “Yeah, no problem!” and got to it right away.