17 unsung benefits of male roommates

* Qualification: when those roommates are mature, kind, handy, and wage-earning young men, and you are the only young woman in the house.

1. When your window sticks shut because of the humidity, you can call on some muscle to bust it open.

2. They eat everything, and will reciprocate meal sharing.

3. They come with toolboxes.

4. Moving heavy furniture is a point of pride.

5. Their leaving the toilet seat up teaches you wisdom, in that leaving the toilet seat is not the end of the world in the grand scheme of life; and patience, in that you will have to put it down for the rest of time.

6. They play games only of the board variety, not the emotional or mental kind.

7. They're always up for a good time.

8. Drama is at a minimum because you're the only one PMSing every month. Oh, and they're not girls.

9. They bring a new perspective to movies, television shows, and magazine articles. (You'd be astonished -- and reassured -- to find out who they consider pretty.)

10. You get to learn about men without the messiness of a romantic relationship. (Drawback: You have to learn about men without the benefits of a romantic relationship.)

11. They keep good beer stocked in the fridge.

12. Your post-feminist sensibilities allow you to feel protected by the presence of two men, without sacrificing your self-sufficiency, independence, or personal worth.

13. They never say no to ice cream.

14. Sure, they like to watch people beating other people up and stuff exploding, yet you don't have to twist their arms to watch So You Think You Can Dance.

15. They're happy to drive, and just as happy to loan the car.

16. They tell you when you look good on a going-out night -- without any prompting.

17. And the best part: You never need to worry about being lonely, because the boys will always be there for you.