There are a number of advantages to living with a roommate – including having constant company; someone to help with the bills and somebody right in the next room to give required assistance. Many people who end up with a roommate are just starting life outside of their family home, and may not be able to afford the full basket expenses, solo – sharing with another person is of great help. Additionally, getting a roommate may be a stepping stone into being fully on your own, being responsible for yourself -a sign that hopefully, you are beyond “I need my daddy’s help with this” stage. On the other hand, for those persons who may not yet be able to cope without another’s presence, a roommate may provide a good bridge for getting into the groove of an independent mindset and living.
As with most things however, there are downsides to having a roommate, as 26-year-old Kadeen Lee highlighted. “Back when I was attending UWI, I realized that travelling from St. Thomas to campus everyday was more trouble than it was worth. So I decided to rent a place nearby with a friend of mine from high school… Biggest mistake of my life! This girl thought nothing of bringing her boyfriend over at all hours of the night. He would stay over without anyone telling me beforehand… one time I even woke up and saw them having sex! She had no regard for my privacy or comfort and I was miserable.” However, due to her financial situation, Kadeen decided to stick it out – until the girl moved out, that is. “Her boyfriend didn’t like me telling her that he was bad news, so he moved her out of the house. And she just upped and left me…just like that! There was no way I could afford the rent all by myself, and the girl that she chose to replace her was even worse off than me. I learned my lesson where sharing a house is concerned. Never again!”
Disregard for comfort and privacy is an issue that manifests in a variety of ways. For Kadeen, it was having company over at all hours. For Samantha, a 23-year-old teacher from Portmore, however, it was a problem related to hygiene. “I grew up with my grandmother who was a neat freak, so there were certain things I just thought were natural- like cleaning the hair out of the sink, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom regularly – or even just making up your own bed. I’ve realized that not everyone sees things this way. An untidy room annoys the hell out of me, so for the time I had to share a house I pretty much was the live-in maid. I won’t say I’ll never share space with someone again, but I’ll make sure that certain rules are set before anyone moves in.”
Stacey from Kingston on the other hand, has had the fortune of experiencing both living on her own as well as with other people. “After I left university and started working, money was pretty tight, and so I was grateful to have two other people to share the bills with. But I was kind of miserable, because I’m a pretty private person who likes to be alone, and I was alone at home like next to never. As soon as I was able to, I moved out. Now I’m living by myself, and I realize that it’s much harder doing everything on my own. Sometimes after rent and bills are paid, I barely have enough money for food. But I have peace of mind, and as weird as it might sound, I’m happier and more content than when I had didn’t have to worry about the bills.”
Before making a huge decision about who you will live with, or if you’ll even live with anybody, it is important that you consider how patient you are and what you are capable of dealing with. Can you handle falling asleep to the sounds of a squeaky bed and moans? Will you not flip out when you come home expecting to see your chilled bottle of wine and instead see a few drops left? It’s not a decision that should be taken lightly, as friendships have crumbled because of a lack of communication and consideration.
Whatever the case, think long and hard, as the decision may bring some amount of misery… or it could be one of the best things to happen for you.
There’s a popular Jamaican saying, “Si mi an live wid mi a two different ting”. Simply put, you may think you know a person, but living with them is a whole different story. When people agree to rent together they may overlook a thorough agreement on living conditions. (Think TV’s ‘The Big Bang Theory where Sheldon made Leonard sign a ‘Roommate Agreement’ before moving in). People need to consider matters other than rent and the bills when considering sharing. There should be a comprehensive agreement on what to do and what is out of bounds so that living can be as comfortable as possible for all parties involved from the get-go. Face it – we all have our bad habits. But this is where consideration plays a huge role. Unfortunately, many people have found out that other individuals are not quite as considerate as they would like.
Have you ever had to live with a roommate if so tell us how it went for you and please remember to share the article
Share this post:
There are a number of advantages to living with a roommate – including having constant company; someone to help with the bills and somebody right in the next room to give required assistance. Many people who end up with a roommate are just starting life outside of their family home, and may not be able to afford the full basket expenses, solo – sharing with another person is of great help. Additionally, getting a roommate may be a stepping stone into being fully on your own, being responsible for yourself -a sign that hopefully, you are beyond “I need my daddy’s help with this” stage. On the other hand, for those persons who may not yet be able to cope without another’s presence, a roommate may provide a good bridge for getting into the groove of an independent mindset and living.
As with most things however, there are downsides to having a roommate, as 26-year-old Kadeen Lee highlighted. “Back when I was attending UWI, I realized that travelling from St. Thomas to campus everyday was more trouble than it was worth. So I decided to rent a place nearby with a friend of mine from high school… Biggest mistake of my life! This girl thought nothing of bringing her boyfriend over at all hours of the night. He would stay over without anyone telling me beforehand… one time I even woke up and saw them having sex! She had no regard for my privacy or comfort and I was miserable.” However, due to her financial situation, Kadeen decided to stick it out – until the girl moved out, that is. “Her boyfriend didn’t like me telling her that he was bad news, so he moved her out of the house. And she just upped and left me…just like that! There was no way I could afford the rent all by myself, and the girl that she chose to replace her was even worse off than me. I learned my lesson where sharing a house is concerned. Never again!”
Disregard for comfort and privacy is an issue that manifests in a variety of ways. For Kadeen, it was having company over at all hours. For Samantha, a 23-year-old teacher from Portmore, however, it was a problem related to hygiene. “I grew up with my grandmother who was a neat freak, so there were certain things I just thought were natural- like cleaning the hair out of the sink, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom regularly – or even just making up your own bed. I’ve realized that not everyone sees things this way. An untidy room annoys the hell out of me, so for the time I had to share a house I pretty much was the live-in maid. I won’t say I’ll never share space with someone again, but I’ll make sure that certain rules are set before anyone moves in.”
Stacey from Kingston on the other hand, has had the fortune of experiencing both living on her own as well as with other people. “After I left university and started working, money was pretty tight, and so I was grateful to have two other people to share the bills with. But I was kind of miserable, because I’m a pretty private person who likes to be alone, and I was alone at home like next to never. As soon as I was able to, I moved out. Now I’m living by myself, and I realize that it’s much harder doing everything on my own. Sometimes after rent and bills are paid, I barely have enough money for food. But I have peace of mind, and as weird as it might sound, I’m happier and more content than when I had didn’t have to worry about the bills.”
Before making a huge decision about who you will live with, or if you’ll even live with anybody, it is important that you consider how patient you are and what you are capable of dealing with. Can you handle falling asleep to the sounds of a squeaky bed and moans? Will you not flip out when you come home expecting to see your chilled bottle of wine and instead see a few drops left? It’s not a decision that should be taken lightly, as friendships have crumbled because of a lack of communication and consideration.
There’s a popular Jamaican saying, “Si mi an live wid mi a two different ting”. Simply put, you may think you know a person, but living with them is a whole different story. When people agree to rent together they may overlook a thorough agreement on living conditions. (Think TV’s ‘The Big Bang Theory where Sheldon made Leonard sign a ‘Roommate Agreement’ before moving in). People need to consider matters other than rent and the bills when considering sharing. There should be a comprehensive agreement on what to do and what is out of bounds so that living can be as comfortable as possible for all parties involved from the get-go. Face it – we all have our bad habits. But this is where consideration plays a huge role. Unfortunately, many people have found out that other individuals are not quite as considerate as they would like.
Have you ever had to live with a roommate if so tell us how it went for you and please remember to share the article
Share this post: