About sharing a room

Whether you live with you brother or sister or not, depends on many different factors. You may have not enough rooms in your flat or maybe you’ve been living together since you were children and now it would be difficult to change it. There are advantages and disadvantages of sharing a room but some people think it’s the worst thing in the world! Is it really so bad?

Sharing a room – myths and truths

  • You can’t talk till late. – Oh, yes! You can and your parents can’t get angry and say: “Stop talking and go back to your room!” You are in your room!
  • You live in a conflict with your brother or sister all the time. – Wrong! Actually you learn how to solve problems very quickly – you don’t want to live in an unhealthy atmosphere. Characters of the room sharers can be totally different but in their room there are no doors that can be closed and they learn in a natural way how to forgive and forget. How to compromise.
  • You’ll be afraid of living with other people in the future. – Come on! It can’t influence you so much! Actually sharing a room with a brother or sister can be perfect training before going to a boarding school or even before living with your future husband or wife. You learn how to accept and respect somebody else’s private space.
  • Your friends are not able to visit you because your brother or sister is always around. – It may happen but you can work out a comfortable system for both of you: “Monday – my friends, Tuesday – yours…” But remember! You have to be a good brother or sister and when your room-mate has a test next day, don’t invite your friends for that one evening.
  • You have to clean for two people. – As long as you are ready to share not only the room but also responsibilities, you will be OK. If you work out a suitable timetable, there will be no problem. You can do the cleaning together, or the room can be cleaned once by you, once by the other person. Less work anyway!
  • You don’t have your own private space. – You buy new clothes, books, equipment. Where to put them if there are two people in one room? If you organize everything properly, you will have no problems even if there are seven people living in one room. By the way there are people who don’t have enough space even if their live on their own.

The conflicts in your relationship with your brother or sister may grow as you get older. These conflicts may be stronger if you live in one room. And apart from those perfect brothers and sisters living together in harmony, there are others – with different characters and habits. People can be very different even though they grew up in the same family. The most important thing is that you love your family and respect them.

Improve your vocabulary!

it depends on – to zależy od
factors – czynniki
to solve – rozwiązać
unhealthy atmosphere – niezdrowa atmosfera
to compromise – iść na kompromis
to influent – wpłynąć
a boarding school – internat
to work out – wypracować, opracować
suitable timetable – pasujący grafik, plan