The first may be your sibling or your cousin. They may be your best friend or a complete stranger. Either way, a roommate is a special relationship in your life. They are there to see you at your lowest, at your highest and everywhere in between. So, a good roommate matters and they are worth the world. To all the good roommates (especially my own), thank you.

It is difficult to put into words the relationship you have with a roommate, whether it’s like a friendship, something close to family or something in between. Seeing someone every day, from finals week to Friday nights, establishes a personal relationship unlike any other. And, whether or not we wish it, roommates have a profound impact on our lives, especially the good ones. 

So, thank you.

Thank you to the roommates who are there to talk about random things at 2 a.m., or the ones who are willing to take late night trips to Trader Joe’s or Safeway. Thank you to the roommates who introduce us to their friends, and who take special time to send us TikToks that remind them of us. Thank you to the roommates who cook extra food for us and the ones who don’t mind when we steal a bite of their food. Most importantly, thank you to the roommates who openly share their lives with us and welcome us into their own, for we are all a long way from home, and it helps to know we belong. 

Living with someone every day has its awkward and strange moments, like petty arguments or slight irritation about who really should be taking out the trash today. Thank you to the roommates who clean a bit extra when we are tired, or who don’t mind sleeping through the numerous alarms we set for our 9 a.m. classes. 

Thank you for dealing with us when we are frustrated or venting about the insane amount of homework we have. Thank you to the roommates who tell us the truth and to those who get along with our parents more than we do. 

Thank you to the roommates who reorganize the shelves or order all the necessities for the apartment, and the roommates who binge watch our favorite shows with us. Although all of these things may just be everyday instances, they are appreciated. 

So, thank you, to all the good roommates, and a collective I’m sorry for not doing the dishes before the morning classes. Oops.