The Benefits of Living with Roommates
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Where do I begin? Roommates are great. I don’t think I’ve once regretted my decision to move into a house with three complete strangers. The company is certainly a nice addition to an otherwise secluded existence. The first day I arrived I felt a little homesick lying in bed trying to fall asleep, when I heard a welcoming moan through the wall; It was as if my dog were whining for attention in the next room over. The moaning continued for some time, just as the dog’s when my parents left home. I certainly warmed up to the new place quickly.
I found that my roommates really looked out for me. In the mornings they would signal to me that they were leaving for work by making as much noise as possible; I’d like to consider it their way of saying goodbye for the day. When I eventually made my way out of bed, I would occasionally find they hadn’t flushed the toilet, leaving the seat up to make sure I noticed. It was the occasional health update, that way I knew whether or not they were maintaining a healthy diet. I also knew they kept up with their hygiene, my rapidly decreasing soap and toilet paper stocks attesting to it.
My roommates were always up for a chat if you ever needed to talk. I would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and refill my water. I was always glad when my roommate was cooking dinner when I needed a refill. Over the course of the next hour of speaking he would provide me with all the updates on healthy eating, and why my food wasn’t good for me. He’d also discuss how my guardian spirits were upset with my habits, and all the tragic events the government had a hand in over the years, 9/11 seemed to be his favourite. He also reminded me to clean the bathroom and kitchen every week, in case I forgot. He never did much cleaning himself, but he probably just wanted to leave it for me, to keep me busy, he’s really considerate that way. My other roommate loved to tell me where to put all my stuff, now that his girlfriend was moving in, most of it was moved to the upstairs fridge and bathroom. He obviously knew I needed the additional exercise of climbing upstairs every time I needed food or the bathroom.
My roommates loved to keep things interesting, by making sure it was impossible to schedule anything around them. Dinner could be anytime between 6-10pm, laundry might not happen for weeks, as there always seemed to be clothes in the dryer. I was constantly on my toes, some days I’d have to skip showers, I took it as a compliment to how good I smelt.
I few times I got to meet some of the old roommates. One of them even came to the door with a bat, I think he must have really wanted to play baseball with one of my roommates, unfortunately the one he was looking for was away that day. Before the gentleman left, he made sure to inform me that he’d have to play with me instead, if my roommate didn’t return. On another occasion I returned from Christmas break with a message spray painted in black across the garage door. It was hard to read, but I managed to catch my landlords name and a few sixes in the mix; I could only assume it was a Christmas greeting. It’s great that the old roommates still keep in touch, my landlord even called the police once, to make sure they were alright.
Overall, I think roommates are a great addition to anyone’s life. I certainly enjoy every new day I have with my roommates. It’s been a great learning experience, and I hope others can share in it as well. If you are on the fence between living on your own or with roommates, I’d definitely recommend roommates; there’s no way you’ll regret it, your wallet will thank you too.
Shawn Bosnjak is a student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. He is an avid writer, reader, gamer, and drummer, with a passion for anything fantasy or rock.
