STRANGE: WHY COHABITING IS STRANGELY ADVISABLE

Please this article is in no way encouraging young persons to leave together without going official, neither is it a co-habiting manual for intending explorers. I just thought it wise to share my opinion on this subject of living together without marrying.

Cohabitation is an arrangement where two people who are not married live together in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis.

1. Living together is the ultimate test.

Can your relationship survive the less glamorous aspects of cohabitating? Will you have repeated arguments about dishes and dirty laundry?

If you can love each other even after realizing that it's not always going to fun, chances are, you will be in better shape for your marriage.

2. Couples who live together learn about each other and start to form an identity working as a team.

They can learn (or not) how to balance their relationship, careers and even finances together. Through time, the other person's priorities and values will become clear, and couples can see if these really align before putting marriage on the table.

3. When you get into a fight with a significant other who you live with, you can't just walk away and play the "who-calls-first-to-apologize" game.

You go home to the same bed, and getting a hotel room or crashing at a friend's house after every fight just isn't viable 100% of the time. This is where the communication and people skills you learned in college and/or while growing up can really make a difference.

Will you talk it out, or will you just go to bed angry? If you two just can't get along, it's better to learn this now.

4. Your sex  life and passion will be tested.

Will you find your man attractive even after he leaves the bathroom door open when he's, um, doing his business? I hate to be the breaker of bad news, but yes, a lot of the mystery is lost if you don't do anything about it. If you're both willing to consciously keep the flame alive, you're on good footing for a great marriage.

Co-habitating can shine light on the couples' differences, and help them decide if it's worth reconciling their differences before they get married. 

Please share your views on what you feel about co habiting. But note that  this is Africa and our culture and religion strongly discourages it.