While rooming with your best friend sounds perfect in every way, it can be tricky. For some besties living together can be harder than you think. Living together means you don’t get any breaks. In the past you may have been able to part ways after a night out and then reconnect for lunch the next day, but when you live together you’ll be with your best friend all the time. Sleeping in the same room, changing in the same room, doing homework in the same room, eating in the same room. You will constantly be with your best friend, and although it is the best experience when it works out, it does take work. Here are a few tips on how to successfully live with your best friend.
1.) Give each other space. Living with your best friend is awesome because you always have someone to talk to, you have a personal style assistant, and you always have someone to order late night food with. But we all need to be alone sometimes, so don’t do absolutely everything together. Have your own time for going to the gym, studying in the library, or just calling your parents. Although these small breaks are short, they allow you to collect yourself and your thoughts. They recharge you for high-energy time with your best friend and allow you to just be with yourself for a little bit. By giving each other space you will avoid fights and small annoyances you may have with each other.
2.) Be honest. As with all your friends you should always be honest, but this is especially important when you’re living with your best friend. To live happily with your best friend always communicate with them, and this includes being honest. Be honest when she asks you about her outfit choice but also when she has the TV too loud and you have to study for a big test. From small things to big things it’s important to be honest to avoid any miscommunications or problems.
3.) Do special things together. Although this may sound small and obvious, this is a really big way to live successfully with your best friend. Doing special things can make your friendship grow and make your bond even stronger. My roommate and I do small things together that make a huge difference in making our living experience together awesome. We watch Chicago PD together on Wednesday nights, we always order Peace a Peace on Friday nights, and we always listen to country music when we get ready for a night out. Although these things are small, they get us excited and it’s even more fun because we do them together.
4.) Always have your best friend’s favorite food in your room. For my bestie and me this means always having a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the freezer. Living with a stranger or someone that just wasn’t your best friend doesn’t include a lot of emotional connections. But living with your best friend is a whole different story. You hear the vents, the rants, the freak-outs, and the screaming first hand. There is no phone or computer to lessen the struggle your best friend is having; you get to hear everything raw and uncut and in person. So make sure to always have a pint of Ben & Jerry’s or whatever your roomie likes in your freezer to cheer up your best friend when they’re down.
One of the best parts of college for me has been living with my best friend because we know how to do it successfully. A sad thing to see is best friends hating each other because living together was just too much for them to handle. So make sure to always stay easy-going and open-minded, and always be up for fun when living with your best friend!