3 Reasons Why Living with a Roommate is Better Than Living Alone

By Kailey Walters

For most of us college students who live away from home, either in the dorms or perhaps somewhere off campus, we’ve probably all dealt with the decision of either living with a roommate or alone. As with all things, there are definitely pros and cons to both options -- but the big question is which one is a better choice for you, which really depends on your personal preferences, your lifestyle, etc.

However, I’m here to tell you why living with a roommate is pretty much always a better choice than living alone. Even if you think you would be better off in a single room in the dorms or renting an off-campus apartment on your own, hear me out on the following reasons as to why living with someone else might be a better option.

1. You can live with your best friend. 

When else in your life would you have such a fantastic opportunity to live with your best friend? Sure, the two of you might have talked about one day renting an apartment together in the city and having a grand old time, but why not live together now while the chance is right in front of you?

After a long, grueling day of classes, you can return to your room knowing that someone you appreciate and love will be there for you to talk to (or even not talk to, as your best friend will understand and give you space to breathe if you’re not in the mood to talk). After all, your best friend gets you, so you most likely won’t find yourself struggling to be someone you’re not or dealing with potentially awkward or tense situations. Plus, if you happen to feel bored or lonely or just want someone to hang out with in the moment, having your best friend right there next to you is always a great feeling.   

Also, rooming with your best friend will undoubtedly lead to many more new, wonderful memories between the two of you. Your best friend can be the one you turn to at any time and say, “Remember when we pulled an all-nighter together/spontaneously decided to get ice cream and drive around town at 1 a.m./had so many deep talks that lasted for hours and hours?” Even if you can already say these things to them (which is great), living with them will only enhance your friendship and allow you to get to know them on an even deeper level.

2. You can meet someone new. 

Some people might shy away from living with someone new, perhaps because they’ve heard of roommate horror stories or they simply don’t feel like interacting with someone in their personal “me time” space. However, even rooming with someone you haven’t met before can be an amazing and rewarding experience. Personally, having not known a single one of my freshman year suitemates, I can now say as a junior that living with them was one of the highlights of my freshman year and that we made so many wonderful memories together. Even now I am still quite close with several of them, which just goes to show how lasting new friendships can become!

So, if you’re still hesitant about living with someone new, at least give it a try. Make an effort to reach out to the other person and get to know them better; perhaps suggest some time to hang out, just the two of you. Or you could spontaneously end up having a conversation with them and learn a lot about them that you didn’t know before.

Whatever happens, there is certainly the possibility of developing a wonderful connection with your roommate until it becomes a lasting friendship.

3. Living with a roommate is often cheaper than living alone. 

In terms of practicality, living with a roommate typically is financially smarter than living on your own. At most colleges, having a double or even a triple room is less expensive than having a single to yourself -- so not only do you get to solidify your bonds with your roommate(s), but you also get to save money that can best be put towards other college expenses, such as textbooks, meal plans, tuition, etc.

Also, if you happen to live off campus, sharing the rent with other people for an apartment or even an entire house is definitely more financially viable than coughing up all the rent money yourself. If you split the rent money with two, three, or as many people as you’d like, your housing costs will automatically decrease.

If you’re faced with a big decision on your housing situation next year, definitely consider rooming with someone. There are many lasting benefits that will make your experience that much more memorable and worthwhile!