Move in day is quickly approaching for us college students and for most freshmen this means a new experience of having a roommate. Many people don’t get the chance to live with their best friend and when they do it can be tricky. When I told people I was rooming with my best friend they’d say, “Oh no, that's a terrible idea. You should never room with your best friend, you'll hate each other by the end.” While this could ring true for some, there is a way to room with your best friend and stay best friends after. I should know; I'm going into my second year of rooming with my BFF, and we've never been closer. The trick is to follow these BFF rules: Be honest, Find compromises and Forgive each other.
(B)E HONEST: You're best friends turned roommates, so you've been spared the awkward get-to-know-you phase, but it's important to lay out everything on the table. Be honest with each other about the weird quirks each has and understand that though you guys may clash in some departments you can work it out. For example: if your friend is more introverted than you, just know that they'll need some alone time away from you. It's nothing personal; it's just how they function. If you know that you'll have many late nights out while they stay in the room let them know, they'll appreciate the heads up. For every relationship, especially for roommates, honesty is the most important first step.
(F)IND COMPROMISES: Another important step for every relationship is compromising. You guys won’t get everything you each want and compromising is very important to keep your friendship strong. Some things you’ll definitely be compromising on is cleaning, food, and company. Decide together who’s going to clean what in the room and when you’re going to do it. If you two are okay with sharing food be sure to work out who buys what. Simple teamwork like that is what makes the dream work. One of the most important compromises you guys have to make is about the company that comes over. Your roommate probably doesn’t want to know your significant other as well as you do, especially when it comes to night time activities. So tell your roommate if you’ve got someone coming over, they’ll appreciate not walking in on something they don’t want to see their best friend doing.
(F)ORGIVE: Don’t get me wrong, you guys will butt heads and it may get downright nasty, but don’t let one argument unravel years of friendship. It takes effort to make something last, so you have to make a special effort to sit down with your roommate and talk about whatever has happened. Whether they’re getting on your nerves, they keep stealing the food you bought, or they did something to royally piss you off it’s always important to try and sit down, talk it out, and forgive each rather than go straight into a knock down, drag out argument.
College is the best years of your life and if you have the right roommate you can form a super close bond, a bond that’s even more special if it’s with someone you already know. You’ll be closer than ever, you’ll know things you didn’t before and it’s great! If you have the chance to room with a friend, especially a best friend, consider doing it. The bond is one you’ll never forget!
