Dating a roommate can be all games and fun until things don’t work out and you’re stuck living with someone you can’t stand. Then all of a sudden, your home isn’t your happy place anymore. It’s a constant reminder of the person you used to like but don’t anymore.
And it’s not just that, now you have to see them every day, and it’s awkward as hell. So, while dating your roommate may seem like a good idea at first, or a love story out of a Hollywood movie; it’s probably not worth the hassle in the long run.
So if you see your roommate walk around in nothing but a towel and wet hair, you better tell them to clean the floor if they get it wet and not look at anything else nor start fantasizing.
If you’re still not convinced that dating your roommate is a bad idea or if you find them way too attractive not to make any move, read more and learn about more reasons to give it up.
5 reasons why dating a roommate is a bad idea:
1- If things don’t work out, it will be awkward:
Dating a roommate can be a horrible idea for so many reasons. For one, it can make things really awkward if things don’t work out. You’ll have to see this person every single day, and it’ll be super awkward living together after you break up.
What we’re saying is that if things go south, you’ll probably have to continue living together for some time at least; which can make for a very uncomfortable situation. So while it may be tempting to pursue a romantic relationship with a roommate, it’s best to steer clear. After all, it’s often said that you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure and that’s certainly true when it comes to roommates.
Plus, when things eventually come to an end you might end up having to find a new place to live, which can be a real pain. So, before you decide to date your roommate, just be sure that you’re really ready for all of the potential consequences.
2- Couples’ fights will take over your life:
If you’re constantly fighting or arguing, that’s just going to make things really unpleasant for everyone involved. It’s hard enough to live with someone else and deal with their quirks and habits, but when you add in relationship drama from the start, it can be a recipe for disaster.
You don’t want to be in the middle of rommates and couples’ arguments with the same person or feel like you have to give in all the time. Unfortunately, heated fights will soon become your new normal, if you’re dating a roommate. Because many couples find it difficult to move in together even after months and years of dating. However, no couples start living together from day 1.
Couples’ arguments can quickly take over your life when you live with your significant other from the get-go. It’s normal because you still don’t know each other all that well as a couple and have no clue about how compatible you’ll be or not. So when you start living together all your flaws come out and you’re both shocked and disheartened.
That’s just one of the many reasons why it’s not a good idea to date a roommate. Living together as a couple can be hard enough as it is; why make things even more complicated by doing it a lot earlier than everyone else?
3- You don’t have the privacy that dating requires at the early stage:
The thought of dating a roommate can be incredibly unappealing for a number of reasons. A third reason on our list is that it would mean no privacy.
You’d always be at each other’s faces and there would be no space to miss each other. Additionally, dating a roommate would likely lead to arguments and tension over things like sharing resources and cleaning up. It’s generally best to avoid dating someone you have to live with.
When you’re first dating someone, you need time and space to get to know each other without stepping on each other’s toes. But if you live with your romantic partner, there’s always the risk that one of you will feel crowded or that your relationship will be put to the test earleir than it should.
And if you have other roommates it will be even more tricky. Even if they are supportive of your relationship, it can be tough to find quality time together when you’re sharing a living space. So if you want your relationship to thrive, it’s probably best to steer clear of dating someone you live with.
4- Petty roommates’ problems will get in the way of your relationship:
Roommate relationships are fraught with potential problems, from awkward run-ins in the kitchen to disagreements over noise levels and tidiness. In fact, petty roommates’ problems will quickly ruin any chance of a relationship.
Just imagine all of the little things that can go wrong: they eat your food, leave their dirty dishes in the sink, play their music too loud, and so on. Let’s face it: you’ll either have to turn a blind eye to it all or you’ll have to confront them about it at the risk of breaking their heart, literally.
This type of dilemma early on in a relationship is enough to drive even the most patient person insane. And if you can’t handle petty annoyances, then there’s no way you’ll be able to handle the big stuff when it comes up and the relationship becomes more serious. So save yourself the hassle and don’t even bother trying to date a roommate. The relationship stands no chance.
5- You cannot put your best foot forward:
In the end, let’s discuss the best possible scenario to show you how things can turn ugly, even then!
So let’s say you have the hots for your roommate. You know, the one with the great hair, amazing smile, and perfect bod. You’ve been living together for a few months and things are going well. Maybe, you’re even on the same page with your Netflix queue. Let’s say you don’t fight over the dishes, and you never stay up too late playing video games. In short, you get along like a house on fire. So what’s the problem?
Even in this case, you can’t put your best foot forward when you live with someone from the get-go. You’re exposed to their worst habits and they’re exposed to yours. There’s no courtship, no mystery, no space to build some chemestry. Nothing of this sort.
You will see them when they have just rolled out of bed, messy and bloated. They will see you when you have the flu, your nose is running and you look horrendous with your bloodshot eyes. There’s no distance and space to only meet at your best and take your time to develop a beautiful love story, before you slowly get more and more comfortable with one another.
In other words, you see each other at your best and your worst from day 1. Let’s just say it’s not the right environment to keep your love strong enough at the beginning and to help develop it into something more.
In the end, we recommend you check this article out on reasons to never live with an ex under the same roof just to show you what will be happening potentially if you carry on with such a decision.