This article title may sound like a joke, or your worst nightmare… but this is my life right now. I live in an apartment with a straight male friend. Yes, just us. And if you, dear reader, ever find yourself in my situation, here are some rules to keep harmony and sanity.
1) Don’t see each other naked
Although this one should be a given, make sure you follow it diligently.
2) Be Wary of Guests
I don’t just mean alert overnight guests that you have a roommate of the opposite sex. Be sure to alert your roommate of any guests that come over. The last thing you want is to be Facetiming your mom on the toilet, hear your roommate come in, say “What’s up bro, just sitting here sh***ing!” And then realize he had several club friends over who all heard that exchange.
3) Be Conscious of Sharing a Bathroom
Respect shower time as private. Keep your space clean. Do not make sharing a bathroom more complicated than it needs to be.
4) Ask Before You Buy Anything to Decorate Your Common Room
Although I personally found my hot-pink pillows super cute, I needed to check with my roommate that he did, too. Luckily, we compromised with one pink pillow and one pillow with a goat on it. Communication is key.
5) Don’t Cook Eggs at Midnight in a Cut-off and Have a Lengthy Discussion with Your Straight Male Roommate
As previously mentioned, DO NOT SEE EACH OTHER NAKED. And that means, no matter what, wear a shirt that covers everything. You never want to be in a situation where you are chatting, making food, completely unaware certain parts of you are exposed. And then your straight, male roommate will be too uncomfortable until several days later to explain to you exactly what he saw.
6) Have Fun with It
At the end of the day, you two are both people. Follow basic roommate etiquette and things are likely tp go smoothly. Don’t take food without asking, don’t steal their clothes, don’t throw out their backpack, don’t break the TV you both purchased in a fit of blind range, and clean your dishes in a reasonable amount of time …etc. Your roommate is your roommate, regardless of gender and sexuality, so make the most of your time together!
by Christina Rao
gifs: giphy.com