Most people automatically assume that life in a share house is something fun. Maybe because they think it’s easy to make friends in the house. That is somewhat true. It is easy to get to know people because you share a lot more time with your housemates than living by yourself.
That is, however, not always the case. In some share houses, it’s harder to make friends because not many people even come down to the living room to socialize.
■ Not everyone wants to socialize
A single fact I realized after moving in Oakhouse is that a fair number of people living in a share house don’t even want to socialize. For people who want privacy and quiet time, this is good news. For those who expect good social life in a share house, it’s better to keep this in mind.
In every share house, even in my house (Oakhouse Kichijoji 2), there are some people who never interact with anyone in the house.
It was shocking to me at first because I thought people who want to live in a share house are all sociable.
■ Just give out food/drink or organize a food party
What if your house is full of these people and you want to change that? This might be way too simple but I think giving out food /drink is the easiest and the most effective way. When I first moved in, this guy from U.S. gave me a can of beer after we talked a little while about Japanese craft beer. He asked me if I know the specific beer he likes. I said I don’t. and he gave me the can saying I should definitely try one. He became such a good friend of mine after this.
I shared free donuts today in the house (I often get free stuff from work). There’s a common messaging group we share on Line (app). I posted a message if there’s anyone who want some free donuts.
Organizing a food related party would be a good idea too. But it’s better to go potluck to make sure no one pays too much for too much food.
