Living With A Friend? Here Is What Not To Do

Life would lose much of its charm without our friends in it. These are the people who are going to love and support you no matter what and pass no judgment even if others are critical of your actions. Would it not be just magical to share your living space with friends? It certainly would be, and this is why friends, living in big cities for their jobs, unite to rent one accommodation to share a home and a fun-filled life. At this juncture, it is quite important to understand that your friendship is special to you and you would not allow any bitterness to creep inside of this sweet feeling. To make sure that your bond with your friend only grows stronger while the two of you share a home, there are certain things that you must keep in mind. At the risk of sounding rather practical and rude, we would like to say that it is easy being friends when you stay apart. As you join each other to share a responsibility of running a household, there will be challenges waiting for you.

Let begin with what not to do in such a situation.

Do not be a free loader: In the presence of your friends, you often forget to note who paid the bill of things. Once you start sharing the same roof, you have to work on taking note. It should not be that your friend ends up paying for most things. The two of you are equally responsible for running the household. Think long term and employ no oversight in over such matters.

Use their things without asking: They do make you feel that what is theirs is yours, too. Appreciate their sentiment without getting too carried away. It may not be a good idea to use their belongings without taking their permission. Also, do not make it a habit to use their things on a regular basis. Such habits may strain your bond with your friend in the long run.

Do not breach their privacy: You two must share everything. However, do be mindful of the fact that we all have some things that are too private to us, and no breach would be acceptable. Do not try to know each and everything that is happening in your friend's life. They would share things with you which they want to on their own.

Do not impose your will on them: What may seem like only good intentions to you may become an imposition on your friend. Do not insist them on following the same routine as you follow, eat the same food as you eat and do the same things that you do. Offering frequent advises is also a bad idea.

Do not take decisions on their behalf: The beauty of friendship lies in the fact that each party is free to do what they like, is it not? Well, to make sure the beauty of your friendship only increases with the passage of time, try not to take decisions that your roommate friend has to take. They may be unhappy with their love life or their jobs. While you could lend them a patient ear and a comforting shoulder, it is not for you to decide that they should move on from the relationship or quit their jobs.

What must be done

Here is what you must be doing if you have a friend for a roommate:

*You are equal partners. Honour your part of the commitment. This is not true of monetary responsibilities alone; the same rule applies to daily chores

*Do not be too calculative. Even if you end up paying more than your friend does or working more than your friend did, you should not mind.

*Be clear about your expectations. In case you think your roomie needs to change certain thing about himself to make your combined lives easier, do let him know. What are friends for?

*Be willing to change yourself. You may have habits that your friend might find infuriating and disturbing.

*Make plans together. After all, that is the whole idea of choosing a friend for a roomie.