1. You two are very different

Gone are the days when your family would buy you two the same gift in different colors. One of you might be the clean freak. Maybe one of you consistently stumbles in at 2 o'clock in the morning. Whatever the case might be, you two aren't the dynamic duo that your grandparents lumped you together to be.

2. Communication is key

This is with pretty much any roommate, but while you two might be close, your cousin can't read your mind. If you need to talk to them about something, talk to them. Assuming isn't a good look and it could cause a rift in your relationship. Nobody wants to deal with that at the family reunion, 10 years later.

3. It's nice to have someone there to remind you of important family stuff

When you're in college, you have a lot on your plate. It can be hard to keep track of your days. It's a life-saver when you live with someone that reminds you that it's your aunt's birthday.

4. It's fun to live with your built-in best friend

Growing up, my aunt babysat me all the time. This meant that my cousin and I were together pretty often. Sure, we would argue like crazy, but we could put our differences aside for a while to play with Barbie Dolls. They're your built-in best friend!

5. Fights evaporate in 2 seconds

Another problem that college can bring is stress. It's easy to snap at the people closest to you when you're not in a good mood. Unfortunately, your roommate can end up on the receiving end of this, a lot of the time. However, as easy as a snide comment might slip out, brushing it off comes just as easy.

6. Cousin? More like a sibling

When you go from seeing them only at family occasions to being with them every day, you develop a stronger bond than you thought you had. Sometimes, you might find yourself playing the part of a worried sibling when they aren't home on time. It comes with the territory of living with them.

7. Reminiscing becomes a duo activity

This kind of goes hand-in-hand with #3. I can't tell you how many times my cousin has been able to fill in gaps for me when it comes to stories from when we were younger.

8. Through the differences and the fights, you don't know what you'd do without them

Sure, you two probably frustrate each other to no end. You know how to push each other's buttons like nobody else, but they're your family. They have your back no matter what and no matter when.