When was the last time you did something for someone else, just 'cause? You didn't have any particular rhyme or reason — but you picked up your best friend's favorite snack at the grocery store, or bought her a cute sweater that was on sale because you knew she'd like it. You wrapped it up and gave it to her that afternoon, and she squealed with excitement. At the end of the day, she surprised you with French fries or a pair of fuzzy socks that was by the register, too. Now, there are more than a few sweet things to do for your roommate that'll make sharing a space for the first time such a special experience. Friendship and so much happiness are right around the corner.
First thing's first: Let's talk about living with someone else, because it's a pretty cool experience. You get to share an apartment or a house with one of your best friends, or somebody else who goes to your school. And more often than not, you end up being bonded for life.
You two laugh over boxes of pizza, and have dance parties at midnight when you're both wide awake. Sure, you might get into arguments every once in a while, but you get through them as if you were siblings. Together, you make a lot of memories and learn how to be respectful in a joint living space. That's not always easy, but doing one of these eight things for your roommate keeps the vibe sweet.
Organization is the name of the game when you're sharing a space with someone else. You want to keep your area clean and make an effort to not have piles of clothes all over the floor. But you also want to make sure that the shared spaces, like the kitchen or bathroom, are just as tidy. They may not be the easiest or most fun to clean, but it's a #necessary part of adulting. Do something sweet for your roomie, and take on the chores for a week. It shows that you care about the comfort of your living situation, and hers.
The way to anybody's heart is food — at least, that's been my personal experience. Snacks, spaghetti dinners, and plates of home fries at the local diner have all been ground-breaking parts of my closest friendships. (So hear me out on this one, OK?)
You don't need to be a chef from your favorite Food Network shows to whip up something good in the kitchen for your roommate. Simply put a bunch of pretzels, raisins, and pieces of chocolate in a bowl, and you have homemade trail mix. Maybe slice up and apple, and serve it with some honey and peanut butter dipping sauces on the side. Just like that, you've done something sweet for the person you live with.
Growing up, there was this one girl's bathroom in our school. Every once in a while, somebody put a cute sticky note on the mirror with an encouraging message, and it always made my day. The message would say something like, "You look amazing today," or "Have an awesome day," or "Keep your head up." It really made all the difference, or just put the most unexpected smile on my face.
This is something you can start doing for your roommate, too. Write a little message with a white board marker right on the mirror, or leave sticky notes around your space. Maybe you write something funny, or print out some memes — the options are endless!
Odds are, if you're living with someone else, you're going to start watching some new television shows. Just like that, you're way into The Bachelorette and who's going to get that final rose. You care about the latest episodes of Insecure that were just released, or the trailer for the next season of Stranger Things. You text your roomie in a frenzy and say, "Did you see this?!" with a lot of exclamation points and a link. Sounds familiar already, am I right?
So, something sweet you can do for both of you is record those television shows. That way, you can watch them on a later date together, and contemplate all the drama and minor details like true fans.
Hanging out on a Saturday afternoon? You and your roommate need a playlist. You know, a bunch of songs that you both sing in the shower, or throwback tracks from your favorite boy bands. Together, you've already had about a thousand dance parties to Disney soundtracks. It's really only right.
Taking the time to put all of these songs into one place is an easy and super sweet thing to do. Share the playlist with your roommate on a streaming service, so that she can pull it up at any time. Let's be honest: When you're missing each other because you're both home for the holidays, queueing up this music will make it so much better.
At some point, your roommate's best friends will come over and hang for a while. They'll lounge on your couch and catch up on old stories from high school, or bring over some pizza on a Wednesday night. You're excited to meet them, because your roomie talks about these girls all the time, and you'll finally get to put a face to a name.
Something sweet that you can do, is take the time to get to know her friends. Listen to their stories and inside jokes, and just be a part of the conversation. This shows your roomie that you're interested in her life and what she cares about, beyond just the space that you share.
You and your roomie love your space, but there's a whole wide world out there waiting to be explored. Down the street from your apartment is a hiking trail, and there's a coffee shop a few towns over that you've been longing to try. Why wait any longer? Make plans to do something together for an afternoon, or even an entire weekend of adventures and activities.
Together, you could rent a cute cabin on Airbnb, stargaze, and tell stories well-past midnight. You could also spend a few days in your favorite city, hopping on subways and eating all the sushi you can find. Either way, you two are making some new memories and inside jokes that last a lifetime. Sounds sweet, huh?
When you're sharing a space for the first time, it's key to remember one thing: You and your roommate don't have to do everything together. Sure, grocery shopping is always better with a buddy, and family dinners can be refreshing after a long day at work or class. But, giving your roomie space is also very important.
Let her have the couch for a night to watch her favorite shows, or don't intrude when she's taking some time to lay in bed with a good book. As simple or even backward as it may sound, a sweet thing to do for your roomie is to respect that "me time."
