With big trips come big responsibilities. As I wrote about in the last post, my friend Roseitta and I are about to embark upon a big trip together. We will be rooming together for slightly over a month. The thing is, although we’ve been friends for a couple of years, this is actually our first overnight trip together. We’ve never shared a room before.
In light of this, we sat down the other day and hashed a few things out. Unlike a certain overbearing ubernerd from a certain epic sitcom, none of the contents of our Roommate Agreement have been imposed unilaterally and arbitrarily. I’ve spared you some of the more intimate details regarding toothpaste, menses and such, but here are the more salient details.
Disclosure
Both parties acknowledge that the following facts have been disclosed and the parties involved are just going to have to suck it up and deal with it:
-Steph snores like a bandsaw
-Roseitta is used to living alone
-Steph takes an eternity in the shower and there is often singing involved
-Roseitta owns Crocs and a fanny pack and intends to use them
-Steph hates to be late for anything
-Roseitta takes forever to wake up
-Steph is a messykin
-Roseitta is a neatnik
-Steph is prone to insomnia
-Roseitta is prone to insomnia
Terms
The following terms have been jointly agreed upon and let it hereby be resolved that both parties shall adhere to it:
The Swimsuit Issue: Both parties retain absolute veto power over the sharing or publication of any photograph taken during the trip by either party which depicts one or both parties in swimwear
The Paparazzo Protocol: The sharing and publication of all other photos shall be governed by common courtesy and good sense, and both parties request the option of vetting photos of themselves prior to distribution or publication
The Bazinga Prohibition: There will be absolutely no classic pranks of any kind inflicted upon either party during the trip
The Pajama Codicil: Pajamas must be worn. Nuff said.
The Friendship Compact: Both parties are committed to remaining friends throughout and after the trip and therefore will make every effort necessary to achieve that end
I never remember you snoring like a bandsaw, nor did I think you took forever in the shower…. and I NEVER heard you singing!!! You have always been a very easy-to-get-along-with roommate on our roadtrips. I think you two will do just fine!
Awww, thanks Jane. What’s the longest you and I have ever travelled together? 5 days? I might have been on my best behaviour on those trips. I don’t think I can keep up my best behaviour for an entire month 😉 I’ve also made a habit of wearing you out every day during our trips as a cunning tactic to ensure that you sleep soundly and don’t notice my snoring.
Love this idea! Especially the photo provisions 🙂 But the fact that you were able talk about the potential for conflict, means you’ll be just fine!
Thanks Cassie. The written agreement is mostly tongue-in-cheek, but it’s important that we talked all this stuff out beforehand and I think it will go a lot smoother as a result. We’ve also spent a fair bit of time discussing what each of us wants out of the trip, which I believe is always worth talking about with your travelling companions.
As I once went on a trip to Glencoe with five other friends and ended up utterly pissed off with four of them, to the extent where one friendship didn’t last, period, I think this is a very good thing to do.
Have a wonderful trip!
–L.
Thanks hon. It’s served us well so far. We’ve also subsequently discovered that Roseitta snores just as much as I do, so we even stevens on that front 😉
I love this! I was a sole traveller on my big trip 11 years ago, although I should have drawn up an agreement with myself, with some of the messes I got myself in!
Now I travel with friends or my family so further agreements are required.
Happy travels,
kind regard, Si
p.s Thanks for supporting the International Day of The Travel Blogger
Thanks Si. Actually, it may sound silly, but making an agreement with yourself before each trip is a brilliant idea. It’s always helpful to reflect on what you want out of a trip, and any parameters you want to set for yourself. Journey’s mercies to ya!
Just want to say I love this idea. As someone who has suffered from relationship drama during travel this is a good thing.
Thanks Alouise. I think it helped a great deal that we talked about these sorts of things ahead of time, even the sillier sounding ones like under what circumstances photos can be shared.
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