Pros and Cons of Having a Roommate

Most college kids know that living with a roommate is not always the greatest thing. There are both good times and bad times with roommates. Some moments can be uncomfortable and some moments can be quite comedic. Here are, in my opinion, the pros and cons of living with a roommate in college.

Image Source

Pros:

• You can never get lonely

• It is easy to request favors (car rides, personal errands)

• It is easier to get help  (free “study buddy,” advice)

• Potential of long-lasting friendship/relationship – Leads to advantages like borrowing clothes and sharing items

• Automatic buddy system

• Less cost/more affordable if you live with a roommate

• Learn how to live with someone else

• Learn life skills the hard way

• Your roommate can be a source/”in” for parties

• Can learn boundaries

Cons:

• Rarely any alone time

• No real privacy

• No space – Two people in one dorm gets extremely cramped

• A messy roommate is frustrating, gross, and at times, infuriating

• Different schedules – Your roommate might stay up late when you go to bed early, your roommate might have an 8 a.m. class when your first class is at 11 a.m.

• Accommodating to others needs – No one really wants to change their ways/routine in order to please/comfort someone else

• A roommate that completely ignores boundaries – Although you speak to your roommate about certain comfort zones/boundaries, she/he may choose to ignore them and do whatever they want

• Personality differences – Your roommate may be a very loud person, while you are more of a quiet person

• A roommate who constantly goes out – It’s never fun to constantly babysit your drunk roommate every weekend, or to be kicked out of your room 24/7 because it’s “occupied”

There are two sides to living with another person. There’s a positive and a negative side to a roommate. Although there can be a negative side, roommates are a lot of fun and they are a crucial part of the college experience. You never know, you could gain a new best friend!

• campus life
• college life
• roommate