NOTE: Search elsewhere if you are looking for advice on how to find a new roommate.

My best friend and I were roommates the first semester of college. Beforehand, we thought that we knew everything about each other. Unfortunately, living with somebody else for the first time is kind of like a new marriage - the honeymoon is interesting, but after that things go a bit sour.

When you live with your best friend, it is honestly much more difficult than a stranger. (When you have a fight with your best friend who do you bitch to, your Mom?) Since you are already so comfortable around each other, little petty arguments over particular habits or statements are much more likely to occur. One of our spats arose from my belief that using disposable cups to finish brushing your teeth isn’t necessary.

We took a break the second semester. I loved my new roommate, but he hated his. I decided that maybe there was something else going on. The more I thought about it, I the more I realized that he was somewhat selfish and craved far too much personal space than allowed by a dorm. I put up with my new roommate leaving a TV on late and taking care of him when he was drunk much more gracefully than my best friend ever would have when we were roommates.

What concerned me the most was that back in high school he had not been like this. One time I was so drunk that I couldn’t even walk and he and another friend of mine essentially babysat me for an entire night. After much thought, I realized that despite all of the problems and arguments, we were still friends. Shit happens when you live with somebody, and I had simply, in my youthful ignorance, expected perfection. Water flows under the bridge much faster when you are close enough to somebody that you truly want to understand them and resolve things.

Rooming with your best friend is an enlightening experience, but don’t expect it to be all peaches and cream.

I should write some more about what to do if you are roommates with somebody you don’t know, but instead I am going to refer you to the following two articles: 8 Stupid Dorm Room Pranks and 8 More Stupid Dorm Room Pranks.

Have fun.

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