Two years ago when entering freshman year of college, I was scared. I was scared about the unknown. Yet, most of all, growing up with my own room my entire life, I was scared about the person I would potentially have to share a room with. Would we get along? Would we hate each other? Would we become best friends? I was hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.
When meeting my freshman roommate for the first time, I could immediately tell that we were different, and valued different things. We both knew that we had wanted to live with different people, yet ended up with each other. I think, however, we could both tell that we were equally worried about the new living situation.
Throughout the course of freshman year, we experienced so much together. While we barely "hung out" on weekends with each other, and were parts of completely different friend groups, we would always come back to the room and rant about whatever had happened that day. We began to notice what made each other tick, when the other one was upset, when they needed time alone -- everything. I'm sure we crossed the line with each other at some point, but we had enough respect for each other to not argue about the things that didn't matter in the end.
I value my relationship with my freshman year roommate. When the end of the year came, we knew without even talking about it that we wouldn't be living together again. I'm not sure what she thought about the future of our friendship at the time, but I know for certain that I was not sure we would ever talk again except for the occasional hello as we pass by each other. In fact, we did not talk to each other much during sophomore year, but we had a few conversations that lasted.
It became a pattern for us, to go a few months without seeing each other, getting together, and exploding with updates on what has happened to us. I'm not entirely sure why this is, but it happens so naturally to us. I suppose after living with and venting to someone specific for a year straight, no matter how distant your relationship may get, there will always be a level of unbreakable connection.
You're the best, Alyssa!
(photo left to right --> Felicity (my current roommate), myself, Alyssa (my freshman roommate)
