Summer is over, which means you will have to move in with your friend! Of course, you must be euphoric now and most probably both of you are counting moments until that day finally comes. No matter how sure you seem to be that all the freshman roommate horror stories will pass you by, unfortunately, it’s too early to be 100% sure about it. Living with your BFF might turn out to be not as fantastic as you’ve imagined and if you don’t set any ground rules from the very beginning, your best friend may become your ex-best friend within a very short period. How to prevent this happening? Follow the steps provided, and rooming with your bestie will indeed be the best experience in your life!
Basic Rules
No matter how well you know your BFF before, when you live with him/her you will learn a lot of new things, and you won’t like all of those things. Be prepared that your friend might like to cut toenails in the middle of the room or do washing when there is already a huge pile of dirty clothes. And believe it or not, even from the move-in day you will be attacked with your BFF’s habits and vice versa. Unfortunately, adjusting process cannot be put on hold, so there won’t be any other way as to sit down and install some ground rules even if it means having an argument with your friend.
Communication
The best way to avoid tensions and quarrels is constant communication. If you feel some of your BFF’s habits bother you, don’t be afraid to reach out to your friend and resolve the issue through offering a compromise. Communication doesn’t mean angry messages or yelling at each other; it means sitting down and having a talk. Often after having an argument friends stop talking at all which makes the situation even more awkward and both of you even madder on each other. Believe me, it’s not worth it, and if treated in the right way, you will just laugh about later.
Take Criticism
Just remember that your BFF is not the only one in your room who has bad habits. So besides having the courage to voice your concerns about some things your friend does, it’s also important to listen to your roommate’s comments about yours. It’s okay to feel a bit hurt or offended; these feelings will disappear once you look at the things from your friend’s perspective. Always remember that it’s all about the compromise!
Don’t Grow Apart
The famous saying about best friends states that they can grow separately without growing apart. And that’s true. College times are all about meeting new people and reorganizing your life completely. Everything about you will change, from your interests to your music or food tastes so it’s okay if you meet other people you’d wish to become friends with. It’s important though to not leave your BFF behind while enjoying the new aspects of your life. A good tip will be planning roomie sessions with your friends, like Saturday movie nights or Wednesday lunches.