The Top 5 Things I Miss About Having a Roommate

I moved out of my beachy apartment in December. My roommate was great. She is a kind, considerate, generous and super tidy person. We are still friends and I wish I saw her more. Being an only child, I never knew how much I could like living with someone. I love living alone, but I learned a lot from living with a great roommate. Here are the top 5 things I miss about having a roommate:

1. Seeing a routine that's different from my own. She would wake up earlier than I would, which made me grateful for the extra sleep I'd get in the morning. She would go on runs or walks which inspired me to be more active. She's a nurse, and some of her stories made me realize how much it takes to do the work that she does. I don't think I could be a nurse. The striking contrast made me appreciate the job I have and also appreciate the work that she does.

2. Being exposed to different types of activities, hobbies, TV shows and movies. She's arts and crafts-y. She was the one who taught me how to make the cool burlap wreaths! She loves to hike and sit on the porch after a long day with her doggie. She exposed to me TV shows I'd never think to watch. It's fun getting to know someone in the comfort of their home and figuring out their guilty pleasure and various hobbies.

3. Picking up little house quirks. She always had candy in the candy dish. She always washed her dishes right away after eating. She cleaned the whole apartment every Sunday. These are little things I took away from living with her that I'd love to incorporate in my own home.

4.  Having a dog around. Having a doggie around was such a great stress reliever. Sometimes the doggie was the cause of my stress, like that time she pooped AND peed in the kitchen and I had to clean it up before going to work, but mostly she was a loving outlet for pats and cuddles and puppy kisses after a long day. She was an excuse to get me to go on a walk and get some fresh air.

5. Having someone to talk to when doing chores or making dinner. Sometimes being in silence too long is maddening. It was nice to have someone to shoot the sh*t with when relaxing and doing our own thing like cooking or watching TV.

What do you like about having a roommate? Anything you dislike? Anything you miss if you now live alone?