Finding the balance between chaos and camaraderie
“Seven guys! How do you live with that?”
The reaction to hearing about my living situation hasn’t changed one bit since moving in. I even had to lie to my parents at first and say it was only going to be five.
Three years later and here I am, still alive, and still on track to graduate this spring. Here are some of the things I can take away from these past few years, and why living in a house of seven was one of the best decisions I made during my undergrad.
Teamwork
A primary factor required for enjoying your stay in such a scenario is the ability to work as a team, which is something I see as a huge asset towards my postgraduate life and a career in business.
A question often asked in job interviews is: “Tell us about a time you have worked in a team setting and how you have learned from it.”Although I would never actually say this in the interview, living in a house of seven is no different than some of the groups and teams I have been on. You are constantly having to communicate with one another and play a role that requires just as much work as the other roommates.
Another key part of teamwork is the importance of working with those that you do not see eye-to-eye with. Thankfully, this has not happened often, but having roommates leave for an exchange or co-op term means getting a new tenant for the semester, and not knowing how to cooperate with them would be a recipe for disaster.
Going above and beyond
What many people don’t realize about living in a house of seven are the skills learned that come from more in-depth teamwork, such as dealing with routine issues and having to do more than you are asked.
There are many roles that you unconsciously sign up for when you put your signature on a lease next to six others. Whether it’s shovelling the driveway, cleaning all the mystery dishes, or taking out the garbage, if you want it done, you quickly learn that you might have to do it yourself.You might be the only roommate who has a car or you have been put in charge of paying for the utilities bill—in which case your role becomes 10 times more active.
Patience
In the bungalow that we call home, the seven of us share two bathrooms, two half kitchens, one washing machine and dryer set, and one car. When you have no choice but to wait your turn to use these facilities, patience is easily learned. But patience also occurs in the daily inconveniences that come from the actions of your roommates. These are the little things, such as someone leaving their dishes around the house or not cleaning up after themselves.
Organization
Without a doubt, one of my favourite things about living with this many roommates is that every hour of the day there is something going on: group study at 4:00, dinner at 6:00, then intramural hockey at 8:00.
With all of our schedules being completely different, it is easy to lose track and get behind in your work. It is easy to lose focus of what you need to do when there are six other roommates doing something that looks way more appealing.
Successful organization is a key takeaway after living in this house for three years and it is something that constantly improves. It is something that improved last year as I was applying for an exchange, and it is something that I have perfected now with constant group meetings and job interviews.
Organization is something that I have noticed influences the house as a whole, where each of us learns from each other.
From the unproductive times of second year, to having poster-sized calendars in each room with daily iPhone reminders, it is evident that, throughout our time here, we have significantly improved our organization skills.
Academic responsibility
As many of our guardians are likely the financial sponsors for our tuition here at university, it is no surprise that they want us to succeed to the best of our academic ability.
That being said, it doesn’t help when you tell them you are living in a house with six other guys. What comes to their mind when they hear that is: constant entertainment, no studying. They think that even though we have an exam the next day, we are still likely to go out with our housemates the night before.
Honestly, they’re not wrong for thinking that.
It was hard to say no to the pressure during my second year of university, especially as it was the first time I had ever lived with my friends in our own house.After three years of being in both the defensive and persuasive position of this scenario, you eventually learn how to deal with the pressure and prioritize your academics. Whether it be spending the night in the library while your housemates have a party, or dedicating a week to focusing on studying so you can go out a certain night, you will unconsciously realize that you have learned the importance of academic responsibility.
Appreciating home
Many of us never fully understand what we have been blessed with at home until we are living in a house with no cable, no dishwasher, one working bathroom, and a few uninvited guests strolling through the pantry.
Before you know it, you are excited to go home for Thanksgiving, not only because of the meals and family, but because you get to spend three days in a house with clean floors and a stocked fridge.I am adding this to the list of things I have learned from living in a house of seven because I honestly think it would not be the same with fewer roommates. Houses that offer accommodation for a smaller number of people are often more modern and better equipped. These houses don’t offer the same grit and ruggedness that one would experience in a rundown bungalow for seven.
With three months left until I graduate, I look back and think what I would do differently if I could redo my living scenario here at university. The answer is: I wouldn’t change a single thing.
The stories and memories that come from living in a house of seven will stick with me for the rest of my life, as will the relationships with my roommates.
Although it was never the cleanest or most functional house, it gave me the opportunity to learn things that I wouldn’t have been able to in any other living setting. These are things that will benefit me for the rest of my life and, for that, I believe it to be one of the best decisions of my undergrad.
Photo by Tanner Morton/The Ontarion.
Very interesting and informative.