Chances are up until college you probably never live with anyone other than your immediate family. You may never even have shared a room with anyone. So it goes without saying when you start looking at those “roommate wanted” ads, you’re in for a big transition. Here are 5 lessons you can learn from living with a roommate.
- Go with the Flow
You’re going to learn not to take yourself too seriously. In fact, you’re going to be trying a whole lot of new things. What’s really nice about this is that experiencing new things with your roommate makes for some great bonding experiences.
- Learn to Listen
Everybody has a story or two to tell. While your new roomie may seem like he or she has it all – the friends, the grades and the talent – once they really open up about their life, things could be completely different. There’s a whole world outside of your family home and neighborhood and while it may even seem surreal to hear someone tell you their story, it teaches you a great lesson – if you truly listen long enough and actually take an interest instead of comparing and competing, you’ll end up finding out who people really are and where they come from.
- Roommate Wanted? You’re Going To Need Respect
When you get to college age, you learn that the world isn’t going to be like you. But you can choose to appreciate and respect the world around you, or live in conflict.
Picture this: you answer a “roommate wanted” ad and land up living with someone who couldn’t be more different than you. He grew up with butlers and maids and you didn’t. He is really into contemporary art and you’re just into anything that looks nice. His lifestyle and choices are completely different to yours and you never seem to meet eye to eye on certain values.
While this could sound like a complete nightmare, think about it for a second. It is these scenarios that offer some of the best lessons in life. They teach you to respect people for who they are and in turn, they will respect you. You will learn to respect your roommate’s decisions and choices and become interested in different facets of life. Here are some great tips for having a good relationship with your roommate.
- You’ll Learn To Be Clean
Imagine this: you’re ready for a roommate and you find a great place to move into. You all get on great. You finally feel like you have your own place. And then one of your roomies loses their Thai stir fry meal somewhere in the apartment – for 2 whole days.
This could be just the lesson you need to up your cleanliness game. Don’t become the person who gets stuck cleaning up after everyone else while silently growing bitter. Don’t be the person everyone else becomes silently bitter at, either. Simply, be clean. Cleanliness can go a really long way and speaks of your character in several ways, but it also makes you a lot easier to get along with.
When it comes to living with a roommate, though, be sure to set the cleanliness ground rules early on. And don’t be afraid to address anything that gets in the way of making the apartment feel like the home it should be. There is some great advice here on handling different kinds of roommates.
- You Will Learn To Care
Have you ever heard stories of those awesome roommates who stay up until their roomie gets home just to catch up? Or the one that helps the other get up in the morning and get off to work on time? They do exist. There are those roommates out there who are going to want to just help out with life in general. They take notice and the care. They don’t have to, but they do.
Taking time out for someone else can go a really long way. Don’t just overlook the needs of those around you, but learn to do something about it. Surprise them by how much you care: it doesn’t take a lot.
Answer That “Roommate Wanted” Ad Today
If you’re still trying to find the perfect roommate, it’s time to register with roommates and check through our selection of ads. Use these 5 lessons to help you be the perfect roommate, too.