Living with your significant other is often a big step in your relationship and if you’re in college, it can get even more complicated. I’m now a junior in college and this is my second year rooming with my girlfriend. For us, it was definitely the right decision, and an easy one, but that’s not necessarily the case for everyone. It can be a dream come true or it can add unnecessary stress to your relationship. Before you make that decision, here are some pros and cons to consider.
Pro: You get to see each other all the time
You might find yourself already in each other’s rooms all the time and living together cuts out all that downtime when you’re apart. You also get to see each other more if you both have busy schedules or it’s hard to find time during the day to hang out. My girlfriend and I also usually end up going to meals together and don’t have to worry about meeting up. After a long day, I love coming home to my favorite person.
Con: You get to see each other all the time
This one is double-sided because you might cherish your alone time to destress. Time apart is an important part of any relationship together so you don’t get sick of one another. It can be good to join clubs or a sports team that your S.O. isn’t a part of to get a break every once in a while.
Pro: You can double the size of your bed
Depending on your college’s rules, you’ll probably be able to push your separate beds together to make one megabed. Let me tell you, this is amazing. Everyone knows dorm beds are small, especially if you’re in a relationship. It can be super hard to fit two grown adults on one twin size bed! (I would recommend buying king-sized sheets to fit over both mattresses.)
Con: Double the laundry
This one may or may not apply to you, but it just depends on whether you and your S.O. would do laundry together. My girlfriend and I share clothes often, so it’s just easier to wash all of our stuff together too. We usually end up having a lot between the two of us, but (pro) we always help each other with it.
Pro: You get to test run living together
Living together in college is a great test run for living together after you graduate. The great thing about dorm life is that if you have problems with your roommate, your school often provides resources to help you either sort through it or find a new room. If you’re really worried that living with your S.O. might not end well (don’t do it, to begin with), you can usually change roommates mid-semester.
Con: It’s easy to get stuck into a routine
With the stress of school and extracurriculars, it can be nice living with your S.O. because you don’t need to plan time to see each other. On the other hand, it can get that much harder to break out of the Netflix routine every night. Remember to still plan dates and get out of your room every once in a while!