When I tell people that I have four roommates, they look at me like I’m an alien.

“How do you do it?”

“Is your house a war zone?”

“You can crash on my couch whenever you need. Whenever.”

Having multiple roommates is not a huge burden. I’m a college guy, not “Octomom.”

For those who still aren’t convinced, here are a few reasons why having many roommates has made my college years more enjoyable.

Pooling resources

College students often miss their family’s home-cooked meals. With four roommates, family meals don’t have to be a thing of the past. Cooking dinner family-style is beneficial on many different levels.

I use less of my own groceries because everybody is contributing.

Having 10 hands in the kitchen means less work for my tired two.

Best of all, the finished product is bound to be a work of artistic genius — a food mosaic displaying each person’s creativity.

Saving money

My bank account sends each of my roommates a thank-you note every month for keeping rent so cheap.

Between splitting rent, utilities, internet and household expenses, having several roommates is undoubtedly the smartest choice for financial security.

Making friends is hard

Conflict between friends is inevitable. For the poor soul who only has one roommate, conflict is devastating.

The whole house’s vibe darkens, conversation screeches to a standstill and life just seems like a meaningless pit of despair.

One of two things happens when one of my roommates and I have a falling out.

Most often, we approach one another maturely and hash out our arguments as another roommate mediates.

When that doesn’t work, we ignore each other and hang out with the other roommates until the whole thing gets tiring and we let it slide.

Conflict resolution — it’s as easy as that.

Between financial stability, home-cooked family dinners, and conflict mediation, the choice seems rather obvious. Having a full house during college is both economical and entertaining.

For the stubborn few who remain unconvinced, I close with one last thought: pillow fort wars.

It takes more than one soldier to launch a cushion catapult.

Zachary Phillips can be reached at [email protected] or @ZachSPhillips on Twitter.