I consider my BFF to be the one person who I share everything with. She is like my soulmate and I know that she will always be there for me no matter what. We definitely have developed a special bond over the years that I feel is unbreakable. So when I was thinking to move out and live with a roommate, she was obviously the first person who came to mind. However, after careful consideration, I realized that it might not be such a good idea to move in with my best friend after all and here is why.
1. The friendship could violate personal boundaries
Whenever I have a study date with my BFF it turns into a gossip session. It’s impossible to focus on our work when we both have so much to say to one another. The same can happen when you room with your best friend. Since you two are so close it seems your friend can always come and talk to you at any time. The notion of personal space becomes a vague concept, and this could become a major issue in the future.
2. It’s difficult to expand your friend circle
As tempting as it is to room with your BFF, this option might actually close doors for you in term of your social life. It’s important to network. Therefore, choosing to room with someone who is not in your immediate circle of friends is one way to go about that. Having a stranger (or an acquaintance) as your roommate can also mean that he/she will introduce you to their group of friends, which means more bonding possibilities for you.
3. Money issues can arise
Conflicts that are based on money can put a dent in any relationships. Being able to pay rent on time, pitching in for cleaning supplies and not stealing each other’s food, seems to be common knowledge when rooming with someone. However, since your roommate is also your friend, this opens up the possibility of not taking these things seriously. If you and your best friend are not on the same page about your economic situation this can be a problem.
4. You have to deal with your friend’s every habit
When your BFF is your roommate you have to deal with every single habit that he/she has. There might be something you haven’t noticed about your best friend before that could potentially bug you and cause an issue. Just because you two are inseparable does not actually mean that you are compatible roommates. People change, your BFF might have been one person when they moved in but in a month it might seem as if they are a whole new person.
5. This might actually ruin your friendship in the long run
Problems that are not addressed right away only result in a bigger blowout later on. The fact that you might be scared of ruining your friendship can create a deeper dent in the long run. Confronting your BFF might be awkward because you don’t want to hurt his/her feelings since you care about this person on another level. And if you actually do decide that you don’t want to live with your best friend anymore this can create an awkward aura around your friendship.
Finding the perfect roommate is a challenging task. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed early on in order to avoid problems in the future. Even though it is tempting to think of your best friend as the ideal roommate that might not always be the case. Before considering to room with your BFF make sure you are both on the same page and understand what actually goes into living together.
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