Roommates: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Roommates: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I am so proud of you for finally moving out of our parents' house. You are now going to have the big task of finding a roommate. You should remember that there are crazy people out there. When I was looking for my first roommate I found people usually fell into three categories. The three types of people you will probably encounter when you begin looking are the messy type, the loud-music lover and the neat-nik.

The messy people will be the group you will want to eliminate first. You can usually spot them right away. They will usually have stains on their shirts, disheveled hair and holey jeans. It is not that they are bad people; it is just that certain things that will drive you crazy will not bother them at all. The dried toothpaste in the sink, the hair ball in the drain or the water spots on the mirror are no big deal. The dirty clothes on the floor, pizza boxes under the bed and half-full beer bottles with cigarette butts' floating in them is a normal way to live. The spoiled food in the refrigerator, dirty dishes piled up in the sink and overflowing trash in the trash can are all chores that they will put off until later.

The second group, the loud-music-lovers, will be the group that you will most definitely want to avoid. You will have angry neighbors who will either call the police, complain to the apartment managers or both. When they have company come over you will be able to hear them driving into the complex because they will have their car stereos turned up full-blast. You loud music playing roommate and his buddies will probably spend most evenings downloading music and playing the stereo so loud that you will not be able to even hear yourself think. If they are not doing that then they will probably be hanging out in the living room playing Rock Band and using your coffee table for a bass drum.

The final group, which I think will be the most compatible with you, is the group referred to as neat-niks. They keep their rooms neat and tidy. You will never see science experiments growing in their closets. You will not pass out from the smell of spoiled food sitting on the counter. You never have to worry about the neighbors calling the police or complaining to the manager because of loud music. Instead you will have your ideal roommate. You will have someone that is as compulsive as you are about keeping things clean, neat and orderly.

So remember that when you are interviewing for a roommate do not make your decision to hastily. Instead, try to put each person in each of these categories: the messy person, the loud-music lover and the neat-nik. You can then decide from that who you think will be the best fit for you. Good luck on your roommate search.