Mia
It’s a bit like holding a mirror to your regular routines, only to find that the mirror talks back, leaves wet towels on the bed, and has opinions. Things that never seemed like issues suddenly become points of discussion. Habits you assumed were universal are not quite.
This is what I learned the hard way.
1. Apparently, Half a Slice of Toast Doesn’t Go on the Counter
I used to leave half-eaten toast on the counter, planning to come back for it. This made complete sense to me. To someone else, it looked like I was either feeding ghosts or living in mild chaos. That tiny scrap of sourdough sparked our first “what even is this?” moment.
2. Closing Cabinets Is Not Optional
I never realized how often I left cabinet doors wide open. It wasn’t intentional. I’d just move on to the next thing. Now, the soft click of a cabinet being shut behind me has taken on a strange kind of emotional weight. Less of a statement, more of a shared language.
3. Some People Don’t Sleep With the TV On
I honestly thought everyone used the soft hum of sitcoms to fall asleep. Turns out, for others, it’s like trying to nap during a music festival. We negotiated a middle ground: one AirPod and subtitles. It’s oddly effective.
4. Toothpaste Can Be Squeezed “Wrong”
Who knew the toothpaste tube could spark genuine frustration? I squeeze from the middle. He starts at the end with dedicated focus. Now we each have our own tube, and things feel slightly less combative in the mornings.
5. Not Everyone Starts the Day in Silence
I ease into the day with coffee, quiet, and maybe a stretch. My partner greets the morning like it’s a concert. During the first few weeks, I truly wondered if I’d ever hear my own thoughts again. Our compromise? No conversation before caffeine.
6. Your Fridge Says a Lot About You
I assumed it was completely normal to have five types of mustard and not much else. Apparently not. My condiment obsession met his weekly meal plan, and now we have both variety and structure. Though yes, the mustard situation is still a bit out of control.
7. Socks Do Not Go in the Living Room
This one still stings. I used to peel off my socks and leave them next to the couch without thinking. These days, I’m on a nightly sock retrieval mission. The coffee table, I’ve accepted, is not a laundry basket.
8. Communication Really Is Everything
Small clashes happen when two rhythms share one space. The trick is stopping them from snowballing. You figure out how to adapt when to speak up, when to let it go, and where to meet halfway. And if talking through things is tricky, something like an emotional intelligence test can help both of you understand how you respond and why certain habits get under your skin.
Living with someone is basically a crash course in how differently we’re all wired. It’s weird, funny, and sometimes frustrating, but when you figure it out together, it starts to feel like home. Even if that toast still finds its way to the counter once in a while.
