A roommate is a lot like a romantic partner without the romance. There’s usually a courting phase at first to see if you’ll get along, and a serious conversation to initiate the move-in. Sometimes it’s better to be good friends first, but of course that’s a luxury that people in L.A. rarely get leaving many of us (at some point or another) to embark on the task of finding a suitable roomie.
But don’t fret, finding a roommate who isn’t crazy is not as hard as one would think. Asking through friends, checking references, and meeting beforehand can ensure your roommate won’t drive you crazy either.
The best option when looking for a roommate is to ask people you already know. See if they know anyone with with an open room or is looking for a place to live. As long as they are sane it’s unlikely that they’ll recommend someone who’s crazy.
Another option is to go on craigslist. Contrary to popular belief craigslist is not full of murderers and rapists. Most of the people on craigslist are fairly normal people just like yourself. When finding a roommate on craigslist be sure to ask for references. Look for anything that may suggest that they are a little off the their rocker like an extensive list of requirements, beef with a former roommate, or unreasonably priced living arrangements. Paying close attentions to the red flags may help you avoid a dark side that may emerge down the road. In my experience talking to roommates who hate each other is a great way to figure out the flaws of the other.
When using craigslist or another roommate finding service be careful. It’s always best to meet them in person a few times before you move in. Finding the right roommate is a lot like how it is in college. Someone you get along with will make your life much better while someone you hate could make your life hell.
Finding a roommate is an interesting process. My last roommate was a pretty good success. We actually met at a bar. I was people watching and he noticed I ordered a shot of Jameson, which for this bar clientele it was unusual, so we ended up talking. A few months later I was looking for a new place to live and his roommate was moving out. I traveled a lot and when I was in town we worked different schedules. Our personalities were complete opposites though. He was super aggressive, highly political and always came off as an asshole. But for some reason we worked. We didn’t get on each others nerves too often and established the do’s and don’t before moving in. I think the most annoying this he did was when he was really excited about something he yelled, a lot. And it didn’t matter if anyone as listening. I think because we were so opposite it worked out well. It’s like they say when you first start college, don’t room with your best friend or you won’t last a semester. I think it has to do with personality fits, if someone is just like you, you start to see all the annoying things you do, and subconsciously that fucks with your head, and then aggression enters.
The key is having different work schedules. If you’re both home and away at the same time then it’ll start feeling more like a relationship than an arrangement…