By now, you've probably heard that living with someone makes you see a whole new side of them. And it's true - your relationship with everyone will change once you live with them; you see the good, the bad, and the ugly in that person - sides of them you've never seen just from hanging out. Whether it's a boyfriend, sibling, friend, etc., living with someone can really change your perspective about that person. Most people advise incoming college freshman to steer clear of rooming with their best friend, because you tend to get under each other's skin more than usual, and fighting with that person could potentially lead to a permanently damaged friendship.
I'm not saying it's not possible, but when my best friend of almost 10 years and I found out we would be attending the same college, there wasn't even a second thought about not rooming together. Both of our parents were weary about what would happen, and whether or not we would remain friends after living with each other for an entire school year. And I can honestly say, I couldn't imagine going through college with anyone else as my roommate. If you're on the fence about whether or not you should room with your bestie, here are eight reason's why it may be the best decision you ever make.
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1. There's no chance of a catfish roommate.
A lot of my hometown besties have had horrible roomie experiences, mostly due to this person not being at all who they appeared to be when you first met them. Sometimes, meeting a potential roommate online is great, and the person seems like they're going to be the perfect match. But, there's always that chance of them having a secret crazy side that you couldn't tell just by stalking their albums on Facebook. When you discover this secret side of them, you're forced to make a decision of whether you want to put up with it for the rest of the year, or switch roomies, which is always a difficult process.
2. So much more room for activities.
When you share a room with your best friend, you're comfortable with that person, so you don't feel like you're invading their space or privacy. I don't have to worry about keeping my stuff strictly on my side of the room, or overstepping any boundaries. My roommate and I even pushed our beds together to make a giant Mega-Bed during finals week in our freshman year. Because, why not?
3. You have more fun doing stupid things together.
My roommate and I went through a phase where we wanted a "dorm pet" for the longest time (like a house pet, but for our dorm). Obviously, we couldn't sneak a dog or a cat into our room, so we decided to sneak a hamster (yes, we actually snuck a hamster into our dorm room for the entire school year without getting caught). Any other roommate probably would have thought we were crazy, but now, it's one of the funniest college stories I tell people when they ask about my experiences living on campus.
4. You know your stuff is safe with them.
I've heard many instances of roommates stealing from one another, and that's not cool on anyone's part. You can trust that living with your bestie means your stuff is always safe, and you don't have to worry about getting a safe or leaving valuables in your room when you're not there. If you room with a random, there's always that chance he or she could be crazy, and take your stuff without your permission. The last thing you want is to be scrolling down your Instagram feed, and see a picture of your roomie rocking your favorite crop top out at a party. She definitely didn't ask to borrow that.
5. You know when to give each other space.
Sometimes, people can be pretty hard to read. If you can't tell that your roommate is having a terrible day, and one little thing you say gets under their skin, a small fight could easily blow up into an even bigger one. By now, you should be able to tell when your best friend is having an off day, and you know exactly what to say or do to cheer her up, or when you should just leave her alone. You know you're not stepping on any toes with your best friend, so you don't feel as uncomfortable when something's wrong.
6. You're comfortable with each other's families.
Realistically, my mom would probably have a heart attack by now if I wasn't living with my best friend. When she can't reach me, she knows exactly who to call to get a hold of me. Most of the time, I'm just in class and my phone happens to be on silent, but for emergencies, I always know that my family can get in touch with me just by calling my best friend. And, when we need something, we know we can always call each other's parents for help or advice.
7. Most of the time, you're on the same page.
Since my BFF and I are so similar, we tend to be in the same moods a lot. Usually, when I don't feel like going out to a party, she doesn't either, so we have fun staying in, eating junk food and watching movies all night. Nothing is worse than having to deal with your roomie and all of their friends pre-gaming while you're just trying to count some sheep. And even if you're best friend decides to go out while you feel like staying in, she knows and respects you enough to keep quiet when she comes in after a late night out. And not to mention, being on the same page means you don't feel as guilty for staying in to cram for midterms and missing out on a fun night when you're best friend is staying in with you.
8. You just get each other.
When you and your best friend are nearly inseparable, you often don't even need words to communicate. You know each other like the back of your hand, just a look can go a long way. We know what makes each other laugh, or gets us upset or angry. And we have the most fun when we're together. There's nothing like being around someone you're comfortable with, because you never need to put on an act.
