How to Manage When Your Roommates’ Relationship Ends Mid-Lease.

November 8, 2015 | By Anna R. AuthorMy First Apartment

Living with roommates can be a tricky situation. Things can get even trickier when you live with roommates who are dating, and, as if third wheeling 24/7 wasn’t enough to question your decision, they decide to end their relationship mid-lease. This happened to me two months after moving in, so for those in a similar…

Beginner’s Guide to Group House Living

August 1, 2015 | By Tanner AuthorMy First Apartment

By Tanner Weber About a year ago, I moved from Southern California to DC and quickly found a home in the form of a group house full of young professionals with varying hobbies, professions, and standards of living. Here’s how I survived the first year: 1. Don’t expect to be friends with everyone— There are…

How To Live Peacefully With Your Roommate’s Alternative Diet

July 16, 2015 | By J Simpson AuthorMy First Apartment

Knowing how to live peacefully with your roommate’s alternative diet can be tricky. A bit of knowledge and preparation goes a long way to smooth the transition. Roommates can be challenging at the best of times. It is increasingly common for people who have never met to end up sharing space. Your new roommate could…

Practicing Empathy To Get Along With Roommates

May 20, 2015 | By J Simpson AuthorMy First Apartment

Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself. – Mohsin Hamid Whether living on your own for the first time, getting started in your career, or simply due to financial limitations, many of us will find ourselves living in a shared household at some point in our lives. According to a study conducted…

Solo or Roommates? Take This Quiz to Find Out Which One Is for You

April 19, 2015 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re on the hunt for your first place on your own, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed with options. There are tons of places to live, different roommate options, and types of places to choose from. Take the quiz below to narrow down part of that decision…solo or roommates! 1. Roommates are… a. OK, but…

How to Get Along With Your First College Roommate

August 16, 2014 | By Ben AuthorMy First Apartment

Everybody knows that living with a new roommate can be totally challenging. I was an RA of my dorm floor for three years, and I have seen many, many conflicts between roommates. I can tell you that most problems can actually be avoided very easily if you’re proactive with your roommate! All you need is…

24 Rules for Living with Roommates

June 3, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Whether your roommate is a relative, close friend, or someone found online, sharing space can get tricky! (Take this quiz to find out what type of roommate situation is best for your personality.) It’s important to establish a set of rules, but also to check-in regularly, to make sure the rules still make sense and…

Should You Live with Your BFF?

March 22, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Whenever I hear this question, my immediate response is no, you should not. Unless you met your BFF in a roommate circumstance (it happens!), you probably should nix the idea of shacking up with your BFF. It may sound like fun, and like something out of Girls or Friends, but in reality it causes a lot…

5 Ways to Figure Out Your First Apartment Must-Haves

March 18, 2014 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

When you’re in the market for an apartment, it’s easy to dream. Perhaps a bit too easy. You want lots of space, cheap rent, a balcony, a doorman, maybe even a swimming pool and a gym. Laundry in-unit, of course, a nice flower box with ever-blooming roses … and then you pinch yourself and return…

20 Questions to Ask a New Roomie

February 17, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Whether you’ve been friends forever, met via the Internet, or have even lived together in the past, it’s important to establish some mutual understandings with your new roommate before officially moving in together. A fun game of 20 questions can only make things better before signing a lease. Are we all paying the same amount…