by Rulyon 2011-10-17, 06:48
I would recommend a roomate. Rent, utilities, groceries, etc are far less of an impact on your budget if they're split with someone. I would recommend boarding with a stranger rather than an existing friend. (After all, given time a room mate is likely to BECOME a friend. Or not, maybe you'll only be passing acquaintances, which would be a shame.) Some friendships can handle being roomates...some are torn apart by it. The key to having a roomates is being sure to have similar or complimentary lifestyles. If one roomate lets dishes pile up for a week or so and one likes to wash them right away for a clean kitchen, resentment will build. (in this case, one roomate would come off as lazy and the other would come off as stuck up or a nagger). However, if the one that lets dishes pile up contributes something else to the equation (perhaps being the one to go buy the groceries) then they might be complimentary enough that the situation would work out. I was one of the fortunate ones that had a roomate arraingement work out with a good friend. (I was at the time and still am today the executor of his estate over his parents, actually).
The selection of a roomate is important, and while it worked out for us, know that more often than not friendships are ruined by being roomates rather than strengthened. If you DO choose to room with a friend rather than a stranger, do the smart thing and discuss responsibilities just as you would with a stranger...and WRITE IT DOWN. Many of the ruined friendships end up so because the individuals in question assumed that since they're friends and get along well the all would be hunky dory and they'll just slide through everything. Then over time it becomes apparent that there are certain chores NEITHER are willing to do. This is where negotiation comes in. (I'll do the dishes if you'll be willi g to be the one to go buy what we need.) But if everyone knows what's expected, there will be less room for resentment (after all, it's something you agreed to) and everything will go through easier. But the arraingements should always be open to review if one or both feel, after living it a while, that some inequity or another was overlooked before.
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