The advantages and disadvantages of living with or without a teammate
Living with a teammate
PROS
• If y’all are good friends, then this is actually a match made in heaven.
• They can help you out from time to time from bringing your forgotten practice jersey to letting you borrow some of their stuff. Just don’t be too dependent on them.
• Post practice and game talks are much more relatable.
• There is no roommate to disturb since they are doing the exact same thing as you are.
• They understand your passion and commitment to the sport.
• Best alarm clock for morning practices or reminders for forgotten details.
• It promotes a tight-knit culture from the beginning of your freshman year.
CONS
• Y’all are together from morning, practices, bus trips, to bedtime. Some space can be appreciated.
• Tension can be brought from the dorm to the court/field or vice versa especially when you are playing the same position.
• You can be compatible as teammates but not as roommates especially in lifestyles like cleanliness and having guests over.
• Confrontation can be much more intimidating since team dynamics are at risk.
• Will require some extra effort in getting to know and hanging out with non-teammates friends. Branching out is important for such a small school.
VS
Living with a non-teammate
PROS
• A potential great listener with a much more unbiased perspective. You might have to explain a bit of context though…
• They can be your best cheerleader at home games. It is nice seeing a familiar face within campus.
• If y’all share a class together, then they can pass you their notes whenever you travel. Or even turn in your homework for you!
• You get a full first pick on dorm decoration and claiming beds over your roommate.
• Opens up possibilities to get to know more non-teammate people on campus and befriend them.
CONS
• They might not be able to relate to you when talking about your passions for the sport.
• You only properly see them more when you are off-season.
• If they are a homebody, then you might not even be given personal space after a long practice.
• They can be much more easily disturbed with morning practices or arriving from late away games.
• With such different lifestyles, it might feel more like you’re living with a stranger instead of a potential friend.
Note from the writer: Everyone’s roommate and lifestyle is different. At the very core of being a good roommate, there is a need for communication, respect for privacy and cleanliness to some degree.