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| New Girl; Apartment Party |
It’s always exciting getting that
first new place on your own and moving out of your family’s house, but when you
start looking you realize it is more affordable to get a bigger and nicer place
if you have a roommate. Who better to be your roommate than a friend?
Well, living with your friend isn’t
always what you would expect it to be. Sure we’ve all watched TV shows like the
New Girl, where living with your friends looks awesome, one big party,
but life isn’t a TV show…so you’re probably in for a big surprise.
Depending on the situation, you
might be renting out to a friend, you might sign a lease with a friend, or you
might move in with and pay rent to a friend. You might move in with one friend,
or many friends. The question is, how do relationships change when you make the
transition from friends to roommates?
Conflicting Schedules
Conflicting schedules should be a
cause for concern, but many people don’t think of this until after they have
moved in together. For example, a couple of young friends who let’s say go to
school or work at opposite times might also require sleep at opposite times. Ok
so different sleeping schedules, big deal? What does that mean for your
lifestyle at home?
Well for one thing you might not
see much of each other but that could be a good thing. Different sleeping
schedules would mean the two of you would be expected to keep noise at
reasonable levels while the other sleeps. This might have an impact on your
social life, and your lifestyle. And if you’re the type that enjoys watching a
movie with an awesome sound system, or blasting that great new hit that just
came out… well, you’re out of luck!
Conflicting Goals
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| The Big Bang Theory, Different Goals |
What happens if one roommate is
responsible, and the other is a party-fanatic? Sure, things were great when you
were just friends. How did you know your roommate was a party-fanatic? Well you
partied when you were together, but the rest of the time the two of you did
your own things. But what happens if one roommate treats his new home as the
bachelor pad of the century while the other, more introverted individual, finds
happiness in a more quiet and relaxed environment?
What happens when your friend
spends all their money partying or shopping? Who is responsible for paying the
landlord the outstanding rent to avoid being sent to court? Unless you can say
100% that your friend does not party all the time, and is responsible with
their money you might want to reconsider them as a roommate. That’s not to say
that your friend can’t mature if given the chance. After all, we’ve all seen
the hit TV-series Friends; when Rachel moves in with Monica, and has no sense
of responsibility but eventually she learns.
Things aren’t as they seem
Sure, your friends are great. You
have the most fun when you’re with them, but right now, you’re not always with
them. The fact of the matter is that over time you get bored of people, and the
longer you live with them the more you learn about them.
It’s possible that you really don’t
know your friends that well. You don’t really get to know somebody until you
live with them. What are their habits like? Do they like to keep things neat
and tidy, or are they big procrastinators? Do their habits conflict with yours?
Those are the types of questions you need to ask yourself, and they are
important in determining if your friend would make a good roommate.
Take Big Bang Theory for
example; can you imagine a roommate like Sheldon? Oh boy are you in for a treat
if you move in and later discover your friend is a meticulous control freak.
Where living at home would have been less stressful. Do your research, maybe
try a vacation with your friend and share a room. Obviously this won’t be the
most accurate way to determine how they really behave but it will give you a
better idea. You’ll get to see if they pick up after themselves, or if they
leave the room in total chaos.
It’s about compatibility.
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| Friends,Close Roommates |
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