23 Comments

1. 

   Quinn Says

   As someone who’s sort of living both (my roommate is away a lot) – you do sometimes miss the company of other people but it’s so nice not to get annoyed about somebody else dirtying every little thing in the kitchen and then leaving you to clean up!

   1. 

      Dekar Says

      Yes, it’s so true and unfair at the same time.

2. 

   Trsalka Says

   I’ve lived alone and with roommates and I am def for living alone. You don’t have to worry about anything, you can do the cleaning whenever it fits your schedule and you don’t have to wait until you can use the bathroom!
   The only acceptable roommate for me would be my man.

3. 

   Abbey Says

   There is definitely a trade-off! I love when my roommate goes away for a while so I don’t have to worry about pretty much anything… BUT I am a bad mix of needing socializing and hiding away in my bed when no one pushes me to get out so its nice to have someone to talk to every day when she is here. I become too much of a homebody when I’m by myself!

4. 

   Kate Says

   I have never lived alone but I want to desperately! If only the prices for apartments in San Francisco were reasonable, I would move in a heartbeat. I think it’s nice having roommates but the older I get I think it would be so nice to just have one thing that is my own. Also, I have a good group of friends so I know I would never really be “alone”. Good luck on your move! I would love to hear your thoughts on living alone once you are settled in.

5. 

   michelle Says

   i lived with a roommate and it was so horrible i moved back in with my parents so i can save and get my own place. i will never live with roommates again. i hated having to clean up after someone else and having random people in my house.

6. 

   Emily Says

   I’m looking at moving to London next year (crossing my fingers!) and I’m running into this dilemma. I don’t want to live with someone I don’t know originally, but the cost of living in such a big city is ridiculous. I’ve always enjoyed having just one roommate because you get some alone time, but there’s still some company anytime you need it!

7. 

   Steffany Says

   I have lived both alone and with roommates. To me, the only benefits about living with roomates is the cheaper rent and bills. I find it rare that you could find someone to live with that would only be a benefit, otherwise it’s always sharing spaces, cleaning up someone else’s messes etc. I’m a people person but need my own space to recharge and found I was never lonely living alone.
   If you can find a decently priced place to live solo – it’s without a doubt the best option!!

8. 

   Chiara Says

   There is no real answer here… When I got to the US, I am glad I was not living alone. I liked having roommates throughout grad school. I was always lucky, my rommates were always great, and the unwinding chats at the end of the day were priceless. But when I could afford my own place I didn’t think twice… It’s nice to be able to do whatever throughout the whole apartment. Plus, I like silence and could always find company outside. It probably depends on the particular moment you are living whether or not is better having roommates.

9. 

   sara Says

   I’ve been living with roommates since I started uni 8 years ago, but have been living alone the last few months. I think it’s really a question of personality, or of finding the right person to share your space with. I guess for me living alone is great, as I need a lot of time to myself, and silence…although I had a great relationship with my last flatmate, who was very similar to me. It’s good to go through the whole ‘living with other people experience’ but, as I see it, when you get a little bit ‘older’ the best thing is to live alone, and leave all the chaos behind :-)

10. 

    Alyssa Says

    I l-o-v-e living with roommates. In college, it was a must because of housing, but once I moved to the city, I chose to live with roommates as well. Primarily because I was worried that living alone in a big city would be super overwhelming–I have a tendency to keep to myself a bit, so I knew I needed a roommate to push me out of that. Some day I’d love to live on my own, but for now, I’m really enjoying living with friends!

11. 

    Hillary Says

    When I lived in NYC I had 2 roommates, and though they were good for company, the situation was far from ideal. Squabbling over who buys what for the apartment, how the rent is split, how comfortable everyone is with inviting friends and boyfriends over, and just respecting one another’s space in general were some major issues. I recently moved to Boston and found a studio on my own, and I am much happier. Now when I run out of TP it is no one’s fault but my own, or when there is an electric issue it is my responsibility to call the landlord, or if I had a rough day at work I can silently sulk in my room without feeling antisocial or guilty about it. Since leaving, the friendships with my previous roommates have improved. The tension is gone, and our interactions no longer feel forced. I don’t feel lonely in my new situation because when I want company, I can get it. When I don’t, I enjoy my apartment to myself. :)

    1. 

       Michaela Mcquilkin Says

       Have any advice for apartment hunting in Boston as a twenty year old graduate student?

12. 

    Jessica Says

    I actually JUST wrote a blog post about this:

    http://theycallmejess.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/what-ive-learned-in-a-year-of-living-solo/

    While I think it is totally blissful to spend time living with roommates to learn to deal with others’ habits, living alone can be a very mind-opening experience.

    1. 

       Ashley Says

       Definitely agree! I’ve lived on my own for the first time since college- It’s been about a year- And I do feel it’s been a mind opening experience as well. It’s made me much or goal-oriented.

13. 

    Brie. Says

    There’s obviously a mix of pros and cons for each situation, but I think it all comes down to WHO you’re living with, if you are living with someone.

    For example, my sister had a series of awful roommates all in a row, and within two years she decided she had enough and paid a little more to get her own place. I, on the other hand, got lucky with my roommates when I moved to a new city at age 24, and now three years later I’m still living with them and couldn’t be happier. The oldest one of us is getting married soon and moving out though, so we’ll see what happens after that, but regardless, I haven’t regretted living with roommates once during these past few years. I always have someone to hang out with, but I also have the privacy of my room. I did live alone during my last year of college, and while there were good things about it, it kind of sucked whenever I had a bad day and then had no one to vent to when I came home– or when something really great happened and I couldn’t just go home and instantly celebrate with someone.

14. 

    Acnepril Cymbalta Side Effects Says

    There is certainly a lot to know about this issue. I love all of the points you’ve made.

15. 

    Kris Says

    These are the living situations I have been in:

    1) Lived with parents in college
    2) Moved in with (now ex-) boyfriend
    3) Currently live alone BUT…
    4)… am transitioning to moving into a place with 2 roommates.

    I am 25 years old. I think I jumped into the “own place” category way too soon. It’s a lot for someone under the age of 30 with a meager (okay, pathetic) income. It was awesome having my own place for a while, especially considering I was one of the very few people in my circle of friends who managed to do that (without getting married or in a serious relationship… or pregnant).

    I realized that in between working a full-time, regular hour job, a part time job, going to the gym, visiting my parents 15 minutes away, visiting my sister in NYC, AND hopping on a plane every chance I get to see my boyfriend (Coast Guard… long distance relationship, but that’s another can of worms), I realized I’m spending $1,XXX for essentially, an empty box in which I just slept.

    I didn’t want to move in with my friends. That sounds terrible, but rooming with people is essentially a business agreement, and let’s just say, I don’t really trust my friends in the financial aspect of things. I searched CraigsList and found my future roommates. They’re in their mid-thirties, both young professionals like myself, and we all basically understand that we are going to be paying $650 a month for a place to sleep, as they both are in and out of Manhattan.

    For as expensive as living in NJ is, I’m a little surprised I didn’t consider getting roommates way sooner. I would’ve saved a lot of money.

16. 

    Pedro Menezes Says

    Living with a rommate is very challeging. However for me works if we have a good communication in the beggining and estabilish bonderies in what we can do and we can´t do.

    Its all about respect and communication :)

17. 

    florence Says

    I landed here because I live alone and I am beginning to consider getting a roommate. Cool as it is now, my anxiety disorder is really taking a toll and I just miss to be around someone. Anyone. Considering I spend more nights at a friend’s, because alone I just won’t sleep…Amanda please am i lost?? Thanks a lot.

    1. 

       Amanda Says

       Post author

       Hi Florence! I totally understand what you’re feeling and it sounds like it might really help you to have a roommate! Are you doing anything else though to address your anxiety? Are you seeing a therapist? Are you getting to the core of the anxiety? It’s important to really dig deep and figure out what thoughts are inducing your anxiety so that you can address what’s really bothering you. Feel free to email me if you want to chat in private!

18. 

    Ashley Says

    I really love the comments here! I’m 24 and have been living on my own for a year now. I had a week to find an apartment, and looking for a roommate online just sounded out of the question. Even though I was nervous at first- It’s ended up being a great experience. I’ve always been a social person that loved having roommates in college, but being able to live on my own has given me more freedom to live on my own schedule. It’s made me more goal-oriented and I’m able to focus more on myself. (I was just thinking about all this yesterday- how funny I just stumbled upon this blog today!) Instead of coming home and hanging out with your roommates/talking or seeing a dirty living room & kitchen, you’re able to take a warm bath, talk on the phone, unwind, and not worry about anyone else’s schedule!

19. 

    Sam Says

    It is nice to live with a roommate or two when you all know one another well rather than meeting someone literally new from a website or at somewhere.

    One of the worst experiences ever was staying with an unknown roomnate met on Craigslist who was looking for a roommate and claimed he is real laid back, emphasized getting along and was studying Christian ministry. Unfortunately, he was discovered to have temper problems, known to be a moocher in asking for rides when his car had a problem, sadly behind on rent at times and asked for money with never repaying and nastily would roll his eyes at trivial things and never once cleaned a dish of his letting them pile up claiming we discussed and agreed he would clean up the bathroom at times and I to clean up the kitchen with commonsense to always clean after oneself in whatever situation. Great thing I could get out of this leaving him by himself and have a huge lesson now to never dare stay with someone i do not know well nor lend a penny expecting to be repaid even who ever is close