There are so many benefits to living with a roommate. Not only can you share rent and other costs but you have someone to rely on in case you need anything. That's not to say roommates don't test the limits of your patience and often the most challenging apartment roommate may very well be whoever is currently living under the same roof with you.
Check out these nine types of roommates you'll likely recognize. From the Clean Freak to the Night Owl, some of these types really put the "apart" in apartment.
Rather than be direct, Mr. Passive Aggressive avoids confrontation and tries to get something done by leaving little hints like notes by the garbage to remind you to take out the trash (instead of asking you).
If Mr. Passive Aggressive weren't annoying enough, when you ask him if something you're doing (or not doing) is bothering him, he brushes it off and says, “It's fine." When, clearly, it's not. {Sigh}
Love is grand, isn't it? Except when it feels like you're invading someone's private space, all the time.
Leave your date on the couch, and you may return with your roommate chatting up your date. The Player cares only for himself and having fun so bring dates back to your place knowing your date might get hit on.
Many of us get really irritable when we don't get a good night's rest, making living with a night owl a potential recipe for disaster. Even worse is when your Night Owl roommate engages in loud activities, like playing video games with the audio on or inviting friends over who don't leave until brunch time.
The Ghost tries to be sensitive to your space and tiptoes around you, which makes it eerily strange living in a place where you feel like you're always watching your back.
Sure, having a roommate is great since you always have someone you can talk to, except when you become the sounding board for every gripe. Or, you're having to listen to the same rant or issue again for the 15th time, in one month.
Few things annoy roommates as much as not being compatible when it comes to levels of cleanliness. One person's comfort level may not work for the other roommate. This is a conversation best had before agreeing to move in together because it's among the most common reason roommates break up.
Having a roommate means you have someone in your space much of the time you're there, too. While this may not be an issue all the time, it may mean that sometimes, roommates don't understand or respect boundaries. There's a fine line between hanging out and smothering. If it's hard to read your roommate's signals that you might be too clingy, it might be a good idea to just come out and ask
Most of the time, there are more pros to having a roommate than cons. Nevertheless, there are shortfalls with having a roommate that are important to remember and recognize.
Living with a roommate isn't a reality show, even though sometimes it feels like you might be living in one. When you settle on a roommate, you're agreeing to live with that person, quirks, habits and all.
Sure, there are certain spoken and unspoken rules for living with a roommate but as time passes and you live with the person, you quickly get to know that person and sometimes, they don't get the same rulebook. Their behavior might occasionally annoy you (and your behavior may annoy them, too).
The best tip for living with a roommate is to keep the lines of communication open. Rather than being passive-aggressive or letting things fester between you, having a frank discussion of what's working and what's not may help alleviate tensions before they blow up and it's too late. Having a roommate agreement can also be smart so each of you knows what is expected of the other.
Not all roommates are reality shows gone bad, and there are plenty of tips for living with or finding a great roommate. Still, sometimes you just want out because you need your own space. If you are ready to live alone in your own apartment, check out your options on Apartment Guide.
As a Chicago-based freelance writer, Megy Karydes has covered everything from space-aged tomato seeds grown in a Chicago Public School to Chicago Blues musician Lurrie Bell. Her work has been featured in USA Today, Travel + Leisure, Midwest Living magazine and other national and regional media outlets. When she's not out exploring the city with her two children and husband, she's perfecting her air hockey technique.