Roommates

[Dagger Dias]

Roomies are an inevitable part of life for just about everyone.... Unless you decide to live alone for your whole adult life, which some do. The rest of us run into a situation where we have two or more lives coming together to live under one roof; whether that be due to school, work, to save money on rent, family/emotional reasons, or any mix of the above. A spouse is also a roommate, technically. A permanent one.

Some roommates are better than others. Others were just awful. I went to college for 6 years and the first year I lived in a traditional dorm (ironically named Traditions Hall) but the 4 years that followed, lived in a 4 bedroom apartment owned by the campus. Each semester I would have at least 1 or up to 3 roomies.


1. What are your thoughts on the concept of roommates?

2. Have you mostly liked or disliked your roommates? Why?

3. Any stories about roommates that you'd like to share?


I mostly like the concept of roomies. For those who are looking to see their rent decrease (usually in half if there's two people, etc) or simply not wanting to live alone, it is a good route. However, it is best to know what you are getting into. Once you have a roomie, it is their house too. You both have to be able to work out differences when conflicts arise. If not, it might be better to look for a new roomie or even a new apartment.

In the dorm I was lucky enough to get cool roomies that I got along great with. In the fall semester it was a guy a year older than me, we would watch Raw and Smackdown each week so we had that in common. He didn't party or anything and we did not fight much. Then in the spring it was a friend I had made from freshman orientation, we got along great. I got lucky because in that dorm your roomie had access to all of your stuff if you left the room, and I would have been severely angry if someone had broken my video games or computer while I was away.

In the apartment that I lived in for 4 years, I saw the entire spectrum when it comes to roomies. I saw a lot of roomies come and go in those semesters. Some were awesome and I miss hanging out with them, such as one guy who liked Metallica. He would always borrow my laptop to go on youtube and either listen to Metallica songs or look up old Attitude Era videos, we would talk about wrestling and watch Raw each week. He lived there 2 years and was my best roommate. Others, I'd rather forget that I ever knew, especially the guys from Kappa Delta Rho, who I will bring up again in a moment. Then there were some who were just.... weird, for lack of a better word. The weirdest roomie I ever had was beyond strange. He covered his bedroom in black plastic so that it was pitch black in there, even if it was noon. He'd play rap or techno music as he sat online trolling in forums. Then one time when my wife visited while we were still dating, he sat there in his room listening to us getting intimate and he'd walk up to me later that day saying "hey, I know what you were doing in there" and wink at me. Creepy little dude, nice guy though once you got past the layers of weird. He made Peter Parker look like a linebacker.

The first year I lived there, it was three other gamers. We were like brothers. Playing all sorts of multiplayer games together, having friends or girls over to watch movies with us, listening to music, playing pranks on each other, and goofing off on a daily basis. I still keep in touch with each of those three.

Then there was the year I lived with 3 frat boys. They were the worst. Always playing poker, smoking on the porch, and getting drunk. I sometimes came home to a room full of Kappa Delta Rho guys playing poker after having had a few too many. I'd immediately lock my room's door and stay in there until everyone went home, I did not want to deal with them. I liked the apartment though and decided to ignore them for the rest of the semester so that I would not have to move.

Finally, I'll share a couple of funny stories. One guy who was there the last year I lived there hated the wrestler Sheamus. Legit hated, we are talking X-Pac heat, cursing each time he came onscreen. So I printed out 100 pages with a picture of Sheamus holding the WWE Championship and covered his entire bedroom with them one day when he left for class. He came back and was SO upset, but it was one of the funniest things I had ever seen when he was running around throwing them away. He never found them all, after he had moved out I saw one still under his bed. Another prank was against one who was really lazy about cleaning. The place was a mess, food and clothes everywhere. There was a girl this guy had a huge crush on, and every time she came over he cleaned the place spotless, but that was the only time he would clean anything. One day I got fed up with his filth, so I called up the girl and told her the situation. She agreed to prank him with me. She calls him telling him she is coming over in 20 minutes. He goes insane, cleaning the entire apartment. She comes over and tells him "hey sorry but I have to cancel our date, see ya later!". He was mad, but it was pretty funny that I got him to clean up his junk.

So, I've said more than enough. Let's discuss this topic.

 

[LSN80]

1. What are your thoughts on the concept of roommates?

Cost effectiveness. Let's face it, when youre starting out right after college, most don't have much. The concept of splitting bills, groceries, TV and Internet bills amongst other things is a nice one. Instead of every paycheck going to your bills, it allows you to save, and grasp the concept of saving. I think it's one of the single most most important concepts we face in our lives, and the earlier we get in the habit of saving, the better. Having a roommate is a convenient way to establish this concept.

2. Have you mostly liked or disliked your roommates? Why?

Ive had two roommates, not counting my wife. My first was one of my closest friends that I grew up with, and it seemed like a natural thing. We had the same interests, enjoyed doing the same things, so you would assume it would work. It didn't. Our personalities and eventually our lifestyles clashed, and between he and my GF at the time, I spent plenty of time "talking things out" the year he and I lived together.

My second roommate was shortly after my first, and was a female who was 5 years older then me. It was a unique situation because the lease at my apartment had just ran out, and I had no plans on staying another year. I had met her for lunch one day, and I mentioned I was searching for a place. She offerred to let me stay at her place if I would pay 1/3 of the bills, which was a great offer. We had alot of fun together in the year we lived together, and she was absolutely shameless. She'ld walk around the house in just her underwear and a T-shirt, but surprisingly, we never hooked up. She was very attractive, but I looked at her more as an older sister.

As for like or dislike, it's this simple: You don't know what you're going to get until you actually live with someone. In the case with Jim, my first roommate, I liked him immensely, and still do. But as a roommate? He was terrible. As for Susie, my second roommate, it was good from Day 1 with no issues over the course of the year. So there's a difference between liking the roommate, but disliking them as your roommate. Make sense?

3.Any Stories on roommates you'ld like to share?

I stated earlier that it was lifestyle and personality clashes that got in the way with my He was consistently asking me to pay the entire rent for any given month, stating he didnt have the money, but I did. Did I? Sure. But the purpose of having him as a roommate was to save that money, not to use it to bail him out because he spent his money on XBox games, or taking on a car loan he couldn't afford.

But even that wasn't the breaking point for me. I had gotten a dog a few months after we got the place, and we both adored the dog. The dog was mischievious though, and often got into things she shouldn't. Then there came a time when my roommate started shutting his door at all times when he was home, or away. We stopped hanging out, and barely saw each other. I wondered what was going on, but but I didnt want to violate his personal space. My dog had no such inclinations however, and she ran into the room, grabbed something and laid it at my feet. It turned out to be a bra, and he wasn't cross-dressing, friends.

Anyway, I decided I wanted to wait it out for him to come to me and explain. I had no such luck for a week, so I finally asked him if he would sit down with me that night when I came home from work. I figured that I would get the simple story of he moved her in without telling me. Imagine my shock and surprise when I was on my way home, and I got a call from my friend Mike, telling me to pull over his car, as he had huge news about Jim. I wasn't about to pull over when he revealed to him the actual story: Jim had met this girl at a random party, and 2 weeks later they were married. All of a sudden, I had two roommates, and I was certainly the third wheel. When I sat down with Jim, I already knew what he was about to tell me, and I told him I knew. He guaranteed me that it was impossible for me to know, and I simply told him I knew he was married. His face turned red with embarrassment, and he acknowledged it to be true. He then asked me if they could move out and if Id take over the bills. I told them they were free to move out, but his name was still on the lease, so he'ld be responsible for half. They stayed for another 3 months, as surprisingly, a girl who marries a man after two weeks had severe psychological problems. They would wake me up at 6am for me to mediate their fights, and I eventually determined she was Bi-Polar. She started to make vague death threats, as well as refusing to eat. That was enough for me, as well as Jim, and he asked me to hospitilize her. I agreed, and after she was released a week later, I agreed to let them move out, both for my sanity and sleep.

The wound up divorced after 14 months, and I had bought a house in that time. He would often come over and crash with me from time to time because he was so depressed. He was attempting again to make me his personal therapist, and the 6am wakeups become a regularity again. Eventually I just started locking my door, and I didn't have another roommate until my wife. Best. Roommate. ever.

 

[Kermit]

1. What are your thoughts on the concept of roommates?

Roommates are good for socializing and breaking students out of their shell and comfort zone. The expression, "Best friends aren't always the best roommates" is fairly true. The concept opens up the friendships a student can make. Some people find one roommate and stick with them. Others will go through multiple roommates like underwear. I understand that some people just want to be "left alone in their quiet space," but those people need to be forced to coincide with another individual. Most likely those people won't be left alone because of addictions, selfishness, or social disabilities. Roommates are a healthy aid to all of those things.

2. Have you mostly liked or disliked your roommates? Why?

I have had three so far.

1. My Sophmore year I roomed with my newly found best friend. This guy is awesome and sadly he graduated this year, so I only got one year with him. He really helped me grow in my morals and living habits. He is still my best friend and the only downside would be that he wasn't very sociable. Nicest guy you will ever meet though, just shy.

2. Sophmore/Junior Year: He was another one of my good buddies, but the guy had some big habits that were annoying. The guy went through too much toilet paper and never was on time for anything. His craps literally took 30-45 minutes long, his showers took 30 minutes long, and sleep schedule was totally out of wack. Don't get me wrong, I stay up late, but us combined did not help each other at all. Great guy, still a really good friend.

3. Junior Year: I just started the year and the guy seems cool. He is a freshmen so I have never met him before this semester. He seems a little socially awkward, but beyond that he seems pretty nice. He is a bowler, so I guess they are a different breed.


3. Any stories about roommates that you'd like to share?

My first roommate and I would always play sims together on the PS2. I have a girlfriend so I didn't want to create my self and date other girls on the game so i created myself as a chick. I would then steal my roommates potential wife's on the game as a lesbian. Funny times.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Cost effectiveness is always a big thing; often, it just isn't possible to pay the rent without having a roommate. Of course, this can lead to the usual problems: unreliability & incompatibility.

Unreliability is a big one. If one of you always comes up with the rent on time, always keeps their side of the room clean, and is always considerate of their roommate in every other way...... you've got a good deal. Frequently, though, it just doesn't work that way. Very frequently. The "good" one complains that her roommate isn't pulling her weight, while the "bad" one bitches that her roommate is "always bothering me."

Incompatibility can stem from unreliability, of course. But even if both people are taking care of their obligations, they sometimes just can't get along. Sometimes it's because one (or both) is bothered by every little thing the other does, even insignificant faults are magnified in such a close setting. Other times, they're just not right for each other.

In school, I had a wonderful roommate named Randi. It's ironic; we were never close friends, our interests were too different. Yet, we were both considerate of each other and went out of our way to be kind. After awhile, we agreed that it often makes a better roommate situation when you aren't friends, because we didn't get into fights and disagreements that friends often find themselves in, since we weren't really part of each others' personal lives.

But Randi had stuff to put up with. I couldn't answer the phone or the door because I couldn't hear them, so she had to handle all of that.....and she never complained, not once. To make up for it, I tried to do extra things for her.

As I said, non-friends often make the best roommates.

 

[JWGunslinger]

. What are your thoughts on the concept of roommates?
Without a doubt cost effectiveness, the place that I was staying at when I had roommates was a full on kickass house and I never would have been able to have a place like that by myself my first year of college so I took it as a very good thing. The only negative thing with roommates other than them being in the way/interfering with plans is when I did have them I really didn't feel like it was my place but that I was visiting for an extended period of time.

Have you mostly liked or disliked your roommates? Why?
For the most part I really liked my roommates and I think I got really lucky considering the horrible places I looked at before arriving at the right one. I had 4 roommates in one house in Orange, the only thing that was different than most people's situations was they were all atleast 30(one of them 50) and I was an 18 yr old college student. Benefits? I didn't have to live with a bunch of immature douchy teenagers and I got lucky and found some of the most teenagerish guys on the planet. We had video game nights where we played Halo and COD on the massive 63 inch tv, had BBQ's and beer, very cool living situation. Still even with them being very cool there were some negatives, like they went to bed early on the nights we werent gaming and I got the bad luck of having the old guy to share a bathroom with and the guy was a frickin slob. He was a very nice guy, when we'd play video games he'd give us the "you crazy kids" line and go spend the night surfing Ebay but he smoked cigarettes non stop and were it not for me that bathroom would have turned into a black hole of filth.

Any Stories on roommates you'ld like to share?
The one story I have to share is not about the roommates I did have, but a potential one that would have probably killed me in my sleep and then cooked me. So this was the place I checked out right before I found the place I ended up rooming at, and I saw it on the listings of places at the school I was going to. It sounded nice enough, rustic log cabin themed, a lady who has had several college guys stay there and she described herself by saying she stays out of your space but will be like a condo mom and get you stuff at the store if you need it, sounds like some nice old lady right?

So we get there(myself, mom and my aunt) and the first thing we notice is that there are 5 small dogs chained up in the front of her yard that looked like they were gasping for air, we found out later that they had been De-barked so they couldn't bark, creepy. She comes to the door and greets us as "Sandy Shore"....my first thought was she was a retired porn star(turned out she trained dogs) but I then tried to forget that idea because she was creepy looking as well. She lets us in the house and it is dark as shit, there's two very dim lamps in the living room, it looked like the inside of an old mansion with gaudy paintings all over the walls leaving few spaces where you could actually see the gold wallpaper.
She leads us toward the room she was renting and on the way noticed the kitchen, if you have ever seen the Halloween movie Hocus Pocus think of the Sanderson sister's shack, what made it even creepier is there was one black candle lit in the middle of the room....
The hallway leading to the room was so thin that my shoulders were brushing the walls on each side, we get to the room and it looks totally normal(what a relief, I was expecting Jason's bedroom) all around.
So me mom and debbie was to get the F out of this place, we tell her we have another meeting with a renter and we need to go and she says wait just a minute in the living room so I can grab the roommate agreement for you to look at. We wait in there for a minute or two whispering about how creepy the place is, and her dog "Miss Kitty" comes in a takes a dump on the carpet. Sandy comes in and my aunt points it out and the frickin lady picks it up with her bare hands and says, "Miss Kitty did you make a No No?". So we scramble to get out the door and give her the we're late story again and we say goodbye.
As we're walking back to the car my mom ask's my aunt why she declined to shake Sandy's hand when we left, and my aunt replied, "She didn't was her hands". Sure enough mom looks at her hand, and she had a damn streak of brown on her hand, i've never seen anyone go through so much soap and hand sanitizer.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Unless I live in a huge house with one, I'd never want a housemate/roommate ever again. I had to share a room just a few square feet bigger than a prison cell for four years while in college. I like my privacy and I like doing whatever the fuck I want, when I want. Also, I need a lot of me time. For instance, even though I'm married, I refuse to share a bathroom with my wife (thank goodness we have two full bathrooms in our current house) and she knows not to fuck with me when I'm in the basement/man cave unless I ask her to come down or there's an emergency.