Pauline, the more melodramatic one, is prone to rants where she expresses contempt of almost everything and everyone. She occasionally neglects her chores and sometimes leaves a mess on the dining table.

'I am so spoilt,' she admits to nobody in particular.

This irks Kristy, who rarely hesitates to get worked up over the slightest sign of disrespect. A slammed door annoys her, neglect of weekly chores angers her, and an omission of common courtesy such as a proper greeting and farewell can make her furious.

Even Chelsea, the motherly peacemaker, has lost her patience and has said that she doesn't want to live with Pauline anymore. She doesn't want to be on the receiving end of impassioned outbursts, apparently.

That leaves me. I know I must annoy my roommates sometimes. I take long showers and sleep at weird hours. My room is a mess.

Often, I feel like a 'just passing through' type of roommate. I pay rent, buy groceries, clean up after myself, and listen politely to whatever my roommates have to say, but I rarely initiate conversation. I'm probably only half-there most of the time and I wonder if it's because I do not like conflict or merely oblivious.

Living with friends - or people you consider to be your friends - is very different from seeing them on a social basis. Ironically, you talk less with people you live with, perhaps because there's less urgency to communicate. Personal habits may not always match, and budding friendships might not develop properly under the strain of everyday life.

Going to university is the first time many students live with non-family members.

It's a learning experience and there are bound to be rocky points. The question is how you deal with the rest of the journey.

Ms Yeung is a student at the University of Pennsylvania