Instead of random assignment, I decided to room with someone I already knew from high school. While some may argue that this choice robbed me of the experience of getting to know someone new, rooming with someone I am already familiar with also has its benefits. In addition to having a guaranteed friend in my dorm, my roommate and I have come to be extremely comfortable with each other at a much faster pace than other roommates tend to; this level of comfort often leads to hilarious exchanges between my roommate and myself. Without a doubt, some of the things she's said to me define our personal roommate relationship and roommate relationships in general.
1. "I just want to salt my mac and cheese in peace!"
Living with someone means eating with her or him; after a week or two, you begin to notice certain eating habits your roommate has. I've come to realize that my roommate loves nothing more than macaroni and cheese. And salt. A nice combo of the two is her ideal snack (or second dinner). However, drawing too much attention to someone's uncommon food choices might elicit some anger, as evidenced by the above quotation.
2. "What if I rip them with my butt? Ripping things with my butt is a problem that millions of people face!"
In addition to eating habits, you and your roommate will probably learn a lot about one another's personal style and the factors that influence that. Often times, this means learning about each other's favorite colors, patterns, and silhouettes. It could also mean learning about each other's insecurities or concerns when it comes to clothes. Take it from me – if you tell your roommate to try on a particularly small pair of thermal leggings, you might just learn a thing or two about the dangers of ripping things with a particularly bodacious behind.
3. "I never cry in front of others."
The issue of emotions and decoding other people's is one we all at least try to tackle. Once you're made to live with someone for an entire year, it's expected that you make her or his feelings a priority. However, this can prove difficult at first because of how unwilling we can be to open up to others and express the ways we truly feel. An example of this was when my roommate said something exceptionally sad and I asked if she was going to cry. When she responded, "I never cry in front of others," she tapped into a phenomenon that, despite its prevalence, often goes without mention.
4. "It's because I have short legs and no motivation."
When you live on a big campus, you walk a lot. Since my roommate and I share many mutual friends, we make plans together and, more often than not, walk places together. She's much shorter than I am, so I've observed that she walks at a much slower pace. When I asked her (rhetorically) why she walked so slowly, she responded with the above statement; very relatable. In contrast to number three, this quote represents the small ways we reveal ourselves and our feelings to the people in our lives (even if these feelings are ones of discouragement or general pessimism).
5. "Shut up."
Another great quote to complement this one is "I hate you," a true classic that every roommate has heard. Once your roommate relationship is solid enough to withstand insults and gentle bullying becomes the basis of your friendship, these phrases become like punctuation for you and your roommate. Each time I jokingly tease my roommate, she throws one of these at me to remind me just how much she cares. Every "shut up" or "I hate you" is a reminder that we're no longer held together by the feigned politeness and nervous compliments that are initially present in every roommate relationship; instead, our friendship has become strong enough to withstand whatever insults we sling at one another. Inspiring.
6. "I don't know what you think this friendship is."
While it is true that roommate relationships grow stronger over time, it is always possible to overstep and elicit a rightfully distressed reaction from your roommate. For instance, proposing via text that your roommate buy you ice cream for which you do not plan to fully reimburse her or him might warrant the response above or, more simply, a "no."7. "Don't you run away from me!"
In addition to overstepping, the danger of becoming too dependent on your roommate is a very real one. However, running in the opposite direction when you feel like you've been spending too much time with her or him probably isn't the best course of action. I have run from my roommate twice, and twice, she has scolded me and demanded that I be in her presence. After all, the agreement to be in one another's presence is the most basic agreement between people who live together.
8. *Kisses Teeth*
Do you ever do or say something annoying yet characteristic? By the time you and your roommate know each other well, she or he will respond to your antics with this sound instead of going to the effort of using actual words to convey her or his disapproval.9. "My nostrils...I trusted them...and they're betraying me!"
Have you ever heard of the freshman plague? Well, it's real, and my roommate (along with everyone else in our building) caught it. I was lucky enough to evade the sickness, but my roommate verbalized the betrayal we all feel when ailments claim our sanity and our nasal function. No amount of apology can comfort your roommate if she or he has contracted this freshman-specific illness just in time for all of their presentations and exams to roll around.10. "If I was to insult you, I'd do it openly."
When you suspect your roommate of sneak dissing you, it is probably a good idea to address the dis in disguise and be honest with your roommate if she or he went a little overboard with the razzing. When I confronted my roommate about what I believed to be shade, though, she responded with the very comforting quote above.11. "Well gosh diggity darn."
This one applies to a wide variety of roommate scenarios: when you roast your roommate a little too accurately, when your roommate drops her or his brand new iPhone 7, or when you both spot the same cute guy or girl in the dining hall. The versatility of this quote speaks to the vast differences that exist between each roommate relationship.In Conclusion...
Like all of our college experiences, our roommate relationships are unique, and that's the beauty of it all. Be sure that you don't take any part of your college experience or roommate relationships for granted (especially the outrageously hilarious things your roommate says to you).
