“Some of the best moments in a home happen when everything feels a little chaotic.”

I'm Kimberly Zamora, a first-year Nursing student at York University, and I live in Toronto with three other girls I met through a Facebook group.

If I had to describe our home in three words, I'd say comfortable, supportive, and lively.

One of the things I love most about living with other people is the everyday liveliness. There's always someone to talk to, laugh with, or share a meal with. Those small, consistent moments of connection are what make a house feel warm and alive.

One moment that really captures that feeling happened during a family celebration. Everyone wanted to help, the kitchen was packed, there was music playing. Everyone was excited to take charge of something in the kitchen, which quickly became organized chaos. What we built together was a memory I still smile about.

It was a little chaotic, but it also turned into one of the funniest evenings we'd had as a family. We were laughing the whole time, and the food ended up being delicious.

“Of course, sharing a home also comes with challenges.”

Sometimes it can be hard to maintain boundaries or find time to decompress and look after each other. When things get busy, the house can feel a bit disorganized. Balancing school and the house can also become overwhelming sometimes.

In our home, responsibilities are shared. My parents take care of the bigger things, my older siblings and I handle the day-to-day tasks like cooking, cleaning, and helping around the house.

The biggest lesson living with others has taught me is patience and empathy. Learning how to live alongside people with different habits, perspectives, and needs — those differences make it easier to live together peacefully.

I truly believe that when people approach shared living with respect, it transforms a living space into a place where you not only live but truly feel connected.