Living with your friends is one of the best things about being at university. No nagging parents telling you when to get up, what to clean and when to be back. You’ve probably already chosen your housemates for next year, but have you chosen the right people? Will you be regretting moving in with someone who nags more than your Mum at home? Or someone that leaves unidentifiable substances in the kitchen sink? Here are my top 10 ‘qualities’ to look for, and maybe be wary of, in a housemate.
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A cleaner
When the washing up is encroaching on all available work surfaces, and the bathroom is beginning to grow its own bacteria, someone who knows the benefits of bleach and a bit of elbow grease will be appreciated.
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A fittie
Mixed houses are lots of fun. If he catches your eye over your bowl of cornflakes then it could get really awkward for you and the rest of your housemates. Whilst plenty of couples live happily in Lenton, tread with caution if you start to fancy one of your housemates.
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Monopoliser
Their clothes are always in the washing machine, they spend hours in the bathroom AND they watch all the TV programmes you hate on repeat – you never get a look in! Monopolising the household appliances is not cool.
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Mummy’s little girl
Waitrose deliveries and frozen home-cooked meals for when things get too much for their little princess! Whilst this might be annoying when you’re boiling the kettle for your 23p noodles, you might just benefit from the odd posh treat now and then.
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Good with money.
You not only want someone who is good at organising bills, standing orders and direct debits (stuff usually reserved for real grownups) but you want someone who is actually going to cough up the money to pay the bills.
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A cook
If you’re a complete novice in the kitchen and struggle to boil an egg, it’s good when there’s someone who can guide you expertly every step of the way. Plus when you’ve had beans on toast for the fifth time in a week, a good cook can give you the inspiration you need to branch out of the tinned goods.
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Different course/same course?
Living with your course mates does have its benefits- someone to accompany you in the scrum to get on the 34 for a 9 o’clock lecture and someone who understands your angst at never ending reading lists. However, if you live together AND go to lectures and seminars together, you might start getting a little sick of each other.
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Up for going out
It’s good to have an ally when you want to hit up Cocotang, Bodega and Ocean. Mainly just to share the blame for awaking the house at 3am and the judgment for verging on alcoholism.
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Technical support
Sadly, not everybody is gifted with the ability to convert files and connect to the internet. Having someone who knows one end of a USB stick from the other and just what a HDMI cable is, is just a necessity.
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Your best friends
It might be cheesy but your housemates should be your best friends, or they will be soon enough. They will see you at your worst and they should be right there with you when you’re at your best.