We’ve all come across at least one person who seems allergic to soap and deodorant.
Deciding on the students you want to live with during university is a decision that needs to be carefully thought through.
With the wrong type of flatmate, your great university experience away from home could rapidly go from fantastic to your worst nightmare.
Of course, you want people who you can get along with, but sometimes even your best friends have certain traits that don’t make them ideal flatmate material.
A lot of the time it comes down to potluck, especially during first year, where you find yourself stuck in student accommodation with a bunch of strange newbie fresher’s.
But for the rest of your university years, you can start to build your own social groups and decide how to rent a space, house and flat together.
With that in mind, here are 10 types of people you might not want to flat share with.
1. The One who Likes to Throw Up
Don’t get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with drinking.
Going out, having a few laughs and getting sloshed are pretty much part of the University Bible.
But you don’t want to be stuck taking care of someone who definitely can’t hold their own, and will forever be throwing up all over your kitchen floor.
2. The One who is Clingy
You may find that you have someone following you around the flat.
They are probably a good pal from your first year of university and consider you their ‘bezzie mate’.
They will be chilling with you in your room. They will go out when you go out. They will be your unshakeable shadow.
There are some days where you just want to be an actual sloth, just snuggle up indoors with a hot beverage, and enjoy some alone time.
But if you have a housemate who thrives on the company of others, they will be knocking on your door, and practically dragging you out of bed.
3. The One in a Relationship
There’s a good chance that one of the people you are living with is in a relationship. Their relationship may make you cringe and want to embrace single life forever.
You will always see the partner coming in and out of your house, perhaps staying over most nights, and make early mornings strangely uncomfortable.
Essentially they will become an extra flatmate, one who spends far too long in the bathroom using up the hot water, and doesn’t pay rent.
4. The One that is a Neat Freak
A clean flat is something that is desired by the majority of people.
However if your flatmate is anything like Monica from F.R.I.E.N.D.S, you may be tidying every nook and cranny.
They may even enforce mandatory Friday ‘clean the flat’ nights that will make your mother’s torturous spring cleans seem like a fun day out.
5. The One with Bad Personal Hygiene
This one is pretty self-explanatory. We’ve all come across at least one person who seems allergic to soap and deodorant.
They probably don’t shower often enough (if at all) and dislike any kind of water coming into contact with their skin.
Beware the wafts that come from beneath their bedroom floor, which reek of smells you’re unlikely to have even encountered before.
6. The One that Can’t Cook
There is nothing with not being able to cook, but there are some who are bordering on can’t cook and fire hazard.
This character is the type of person to ask, ‘How do you boil an egg?’ and then get confused by heating up water in a saucepan.
Pot Noodles are their go-to meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner (provided they remember to fill the kettle with water).
On a rare occasion, they may attempt to make a hearty meal using every saucepan and dish in the flat (including yours), but end up setting off the fire alarm.
7. The One that Borrows and Never Returns
There’s nothing wrong with borrowing things, as long as you replace them.
But you may come across someone who keeps ‘borrowing’ your milk, or your hair products, your favourite dress or your super high heels.
You may be too polite to say anything, and before you know it, they’ve ‘borrowed’ your whole room.
8. The One that Doesn’t Replace the Toilet Roll
If you live in a shared flat, there will be a moment when you’ve finished your business and be struck with sheer horror that there is no toilet roll.
It’s simple, you finish it, you replace it.
9. The One who is a Full-Time Prankster
It’s inevitable that you will experience a prank or two when you’re living with flatmates.
But sometimes you will come across someone who takes it to the next level.
You may find yourself waking up to a room occupied with plastic cups filled with water, or streams of toilet roll zigzagged across the hallway.
10. The One that is a Night Owl/Early Bird
The night owl and early bird are polar opposites but have one thing in common – they keep you awake.
These owls and birds can come in many noisy forms – from loud music to hoovering way too early in the morning.
Whether it’s when you’re about to fall asleep or are enjoying a lie in, there will always be the noise from the roomie next door.
Of course, no one is a perfect flatmate, and being around someone with any of these characters isn’t the end of the world.
University is all about being open, welcoming and going with the flow, so whatever flatmates you end up with, make sure you enjoy student life while you can!
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