Premise: I am kind of a lone wolf (actually, wolves live in packs, so I don’t know where this saying came from. But that’s another topic entirely). I enjoy being alone, especially because during the school year I’m constantly surrounded by people. I’ve always shared a room with my sibling, and now that I have roommates the situation hasn’t changed. If ever, it got worse: I share a bed with one of my roomies! So, what to do when you share an apartment with two or more other people who aren’t related to you? How to cope? How to manage to not kill anyone? How to manage to not to kill yourself (or at least saving yourself from the verge of a mental breakdown?) of course I’m exaggerating, but the struggle is REAL.
Here are some tips:
Try not to be together in the same room all the time
If they are watching TV in the living room, go to your bedroom and read. If they are studying in the kitchen, go to the library. Unless you are eating together (if that’s something you enjoy doing ), try not to occupy the same spaces at the same time, ALL the time.
Take walks
Ok, the thing is: my roomies are also my friends. If your roommates are not your friends, is easier to have your spaces (I think), but if they are it is natural to do things together (especially if you are studying the same things and attend the same classes!). So, offer to go grocery shopping, or buy something you need for the house, or make up some excuse and go have an ice cream.
Bargain classes
If you attend the same classes, like my roommates and I do, Â this is gonna be easy: volunteer to go to some classes and take notes for them, and alternate between classes. Everyone will have notes, and you will have some alone time and the bathroom ALL TO YOURSELF! If you do not attend the same classes, and your roomies are lazy and not grade-A students, encourage them to attend classes: get your alone time and be a great friend at the same time.
Get a few days of solitude when they’re gone
My friends and I live pretty close, so usually when I go back home we move together. But sometimes, when there are exams or sporadic classes, I go to our apartment before them and enjoy a couple of days alone. Aaaah the FREEDOM.
So, this are my tips in order to maintain a sort of mental balance when you share an apartment with people you don’t share DNA with and that you didn’t grow up with. As great as they may be, complications and misunderstandings are bound to be on your way, and you will have to find a way to work through them, even though you won’t always be able to do with a smile on your face and it won’t always be easy. That’s life!
What are your problems with roommates? Do you have any advice? Feel free to share!
Featured image via Chewy on Unsplash
 roomies. Because sometimes, you need to have the bathroom to yourself.){kind=link}