By now, the house contract you signed all those months ago (with people that you’d known for a matter of weeks) has become a reality, and it’s likely that tension is starting to build between you and your new housemates.
It seems there’s nothing quite like a year in forced proximity to each other that ruins a friendship beyond repair. Whether it’s dishes that haven’t been done, the constant stream of noise in the middle of the night, or your housemate’s partner who just won’t leave, here’s an idea of what could go wrong this year – and how to stop it derailing a friendship.
The mess
The one thing guaranteed to cause an argument between even the closest of housemates is the constant mess. The overflowing bins, the dishes piled high in the sink, the rubbish strewn along the countertop… you name it, there’s probably a uni student somewhere right now drafting a passive aggressive WhatsApp message on the issue.
No matter how clean you think your housemates are, there’s bound to be something that’ll get on your nerves (and it’s probably going to be that week-old bowl in the sink). Preventing this is easier said than done – avoiding your uni kitchen at all costs is practically a rite of passage as a student. However, there are a few things you can do to make your life easier, starting with a strict bin rota and sending a strongly worded text about cleaning up after yourself. If all else fails, the offending housemate’s mouldy dishes “accidentally” falling into the bin is a tried and tested solution.
The dynamic duo
Sometimes, falling out with a housemate isn’t so much about what they’ve done, but what you’ve both done. Together. Every. Single. Day. They’re on your course, they’re on the 699 bus, they were at the social last night, and now they’re hogging the shower. After spending all day everyday with each other, you’re bound to be getting on each other’s last nerve.
Before you know it, seemingly harmless things will be driving you mad. Is it their turn to buy toilet roll? Have they used the last bin bags and “forgotten” to replace them? Did they leave their dirty dishes in the sink overnight just to spite you?
When you see each other every day, you’re bound to get sick of each other eventually. The best thing to do is to have a break: Book that train home, get on an earlier bus, or just sit at the back of the lecture theatre, duck behind your laptop and pray they don’t see you. It’s not easy, but sometimes it’s needed.
The visitor
Seasons change, but it seems an uninvited guest remains the one constant.
It starts slowly – one day your housemate invites her new boyfriend around for a few hours. Hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, and suddenly you can’t remember a time where he wasn’t permanently welded to the sofa, drinking tea out of your favourite mug. Arguably, the most irritating trait a housemate can have isn’t even directly to do with them – it’s an extension of themselves that moved in one day and never left.
Confronting your housemate about their partner becoming a permanent resident is never easy, but when they’ve started using your teabags, you know they’ve crossed a line. Sitting down and suggesting that maybe their partner could spend a little less time in your house and more time in their own accommodation is the natural next step. And if that doesn’t work, perhaps you could talk to their partner directly. Or you can gently remind your housemate that your landlord doesn’t allow squatters…
The one who’s social life is out of control
Whether it’s a Monday trip to The Raz, a Wednesday night sports social, or hosting pres before Heebies on a Thursday, everyone loves a housemate who lives for going out. However, all that socialising can cause tempers to fray: Think doors slamming at 7am, music blasting at the highest possible volume, or that one time you had an early lecture and someone dressed as Pitbull woke you up at 5am thinking your room was the kitchen. Or when you go to assess the damage in the morning and an Ibiza Final Boss lookalike is in your bathroom (with his head down the toilet).
It’s safe to say that everyone loves a good night out, but not everyone loves sacrificing their living room for the world’s most chaotic afters. To prevent finding yourself in this situation, have a chat with your housemate about their habit of inviting everyone they meet back to the house, in the hopes that they’ll dial it down sometimes.
If all else fails, try and familiarise yourself with your housemate’s social schedule, buy yourself some earplugs, and pray you’ll get enough sleep to make your 9am. Oh, and lock your door to avoid encountering anymore lost Pitbull impersonators in search of their next drink.
The newfound freedom of living in a student house is glorious, but it definitely comes with a honeymoon period. Brace yourself for some of these fallouts – they might be intense, but you’ll forget about the drama by the time the house Christmas dinner night rolls around.
