Roommate: Difference between revisions

[[File:Elaine Colgan and her roommate, Alice8d18610v.jpg|thumb|Roommates in a [[Niagara Falls, New York]] boardinghouse, 1943]]

A '''roommate''' is a person with whom one shares a living facility such as a [[room]] or [[dormitory]] '''except''' when being family or romantically involved. Similar terms include '''dormmatedorm-mate''', '''suitematesuite-mate''', '''housemate''', or '''flatmate''' ("flat": the usual term in [[British English]] for an [[apartment]]). '''Flatmate'''<ref>{{cite web|last=Ministry of Business|first=Innovation and Employment|title=Flatting|url=https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/flatting/#id_134152-flatmate|accessdateaccess-date=24 December 2018}}</ref> is the term most commonly used in New Zealand, when referring to the rental of an unshared room within any type of dwelling. Another similar term is '''sharemate''' (shared living spaces are often called ''sharehomessharehouses'' in Australia and other Commonwealth countries). A '''sharehome''' is a model of [[household]] in which a group of usually unrelated people reside together, including [[lease-by-room]] arrangements. The term generally applies to people living together in [[rental]] properties rather than in properties in which any resident is an [[Owner-occupier|owner occupier]]. In the UKUnited Kingdom, the term "roommate" means a person living in the same ''bedroom'', whereas in the United States and Canada, "roommate" and "housemate" are used interchangeably regardless whether a bedroom is shared, although it is common in US universities that having a roommate implies sharing a room together. This article uses the term "roommate" in the US sense of a person one shares a ''residence'' with who is not a relative or [[significant other]]. The informal term for roommate is '''roomie''',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus/american/roomie/roomie_4/Friends-and-acquaintances |title=Roomie definition |publisher=MacMillan Dictionary/Thesaurus |accessdateaccess-date=2010-08-13}}</ref> which is commonly used by university students and members of the younger generation.

According to the [[American Community Survey]], 7.7% of Americans lived with a roommate in 2014. From 2000 to 2014, the proportion of Americans living with roommates increased by 13%, revealing that it is an increasingly popular lifestyle choice.<ref name=priceonomics>{{cite web|last1=Kopf|first1=Dan|title=Where Is the Roommate Capital of the United States?|url=http://priceonomics.com/where-is-the-roommate-capital-of-the-united-states/|website=Priceonomics|accessdatedate=24 November 2015 |access-date=26 November 2015}}</ref>

Roommates and house-sharing are not limited to students and young adults however. American politicians [[Chuck Schumer]], [[William Delahunt]], [[Dick Durbin|Richard Durbin]], and [[George Miller (California politician)|George Miller]] famously share a house in [[Washington, D.C.]], while Congress is in session.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/garden/18roomies.html Taking Power, Sharing Cereal], [[New York Times]], Jan. 18, 2007; [https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Politics/story?id=2942649 D.C. Lawmakers Share 'Animal House'], [[ABC News]], Mar. 12, 2007; [http://www.house.gov/list/hearing/ma10_delahunt/art_070118_bg_animalhouse.html Capitol Hill's Animal House is Their Home Away From Home], [[Boston Globe]], Jan. 18, 2007.</ref>

Sharing an apartment is quite popular by young adults (most of them university students) in countries like [[Germany]], [[Austria]] and [[Switzerland]], while sharing a bedroom is more uncommon.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}

The following table lists the top 25 U.S.US cities with the highest proportion of people who live with roommates according to the [[U.S.US Census]] 2016<ref name=census.gov>{{cite web|last1=Vespa|first1=Jonathan|title=The Changing Economics and Demographics of Young Adulthood: 1975–2016|url=https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2017/08/young-adults.html|website=U.S. Census Bureau Census.gov|accessdateaccess-date=9 August 2017}}</ref> and a 2017 [[Zillow]] housing trends report.<ref name=zillow>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Jordyn|title=Press Release: The Share of Adults Living with Roommates Higher than Ever Before|url=http://mediaroom.com/2017-12-14-Share-of-Adults-Living-with-Roommates-Higher-than-Ever-Before|website=mediaroom.com|accessdateaccess-date=14 December 2017}}</ref>

One difficulty is finding suitable roommates. Living with a roommate can mean much less [[privacy]] than having a residence of one's own, and for some people this can cause a lot of [[stress (biology)|stress]]. Another thing to consider when choosing a roommate is how to divide the cost of living. Who pays for what, or are the shared expenses divided between the two or more roommates. Also, the potential roommate should be trusted to pay their share and trusted to pay it on time. Sleeping patterns can also be disrupted when living with a number of people. Some of the challenges that come with share housing may include advertising for, interviewing and choosing potential [[flatmate|housemates]]; sharing communal household goods, [[Renting|rent]] (often this may be determined by the size or position of respective [[bedroom]]s); sharing [[household]] bills and [[food|grocery]] costs; and sharing [[Homemaking|housework]], [[Housekeeping|cleaning]], and [[cooking]] responsibilities. Conflicts may arise if, for example, residents have different standards of [[cleanliness]], different [[Diet (nutrition)|diets]], or different hours of [[employment]] or study. Guests and partners may also begin to board frequently, which can raise complications pertaining to [[Public utility|utility expenses]], additional rent and further possible cleaning duties. Often when these responsibilities go untended, friction may result between co-tenants. For this reason, responsibilities should be delegated and fairly assigned as early as possible in any living arrangement with roommates. A clear and defined list of alternating chores and bill lists are easy to see and enforce.

[[Mood (psychology)|Mood]] susceptible: "Each happy friend a person has increases that person's probability of being happy by 9 percent and each unhappy friend decreases it by 7 percent," says Nicholas A. Christakis, a co-author of "Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives".<ref>{{cite news|last=Moore|first=Abigail|title=The Science of Roommates|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/education/25roomscience-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2010-07-23|accessdateaccess-date=30 March 2014}}</ref> Whether the roommates are friends or not the interactions and behaviors shared and expressed will undoubtedly have an effect on the roommates. Although shown not to be as impressionable as eating habits, areour moods can change, specifically more in male roommates based on the others emotions.

Effects on atudiesstudies: Studies showed that having a roommate that plays video games causes the other to most likely participate, which reflected in a half-hour less of studying, also showing GPA's .02 lower than others. When dealing with a college roommate the choice to study or sleep should take precedence over the choice to party or play loud music.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nueman|first=Fredrick|title=Getting Along With Roommates|url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201401/getting-along-roommates|publisher=Psychology Today|accessdateaccess-date=30 March 2014}}</ref> This understanding allows those to choose to focus differently on school to do so without harm to the roommate relationship or grades.

Addressing an issue:<ref>{{cite web|title=Roommate Conflicts: Confrontation, Communication, Mediation|url=http://www.slc.edu/studentlife/residence-life/roommate-conflicts-confrontation,-communication,-mediation.html|publisher=Sarah Lawrence College|accessdateaccess-date=30 March 2014}}</ref>