At my university, if you stick with campus housing through your junior and senior years, you'll start looking towards the on-campus apartment buildings. Having suffered through dorm life for the first couple of years, you deserve your own kitchen, private bathroom, and just generally more space.
The only thing about on-campus apartments, though, is that you go from having one or two roommates...to several. And by several, I mean we cram 6 people into one apartment.
The thing is, though, I didn't really realize this was an impressive feat somewhat exclusive to the college experience until I was describing it to one of my friends, and they were baffled. "Five roommates? FIVE ROOMMATES?! How do you not kill each other?!?!"
There are definitely times when you want to, but if I'm not mistaken, homicide is generally still frowned upon.
Regardless of its normality or not, I've lived in two different six-person apartments over the last two years, and it's given me a kind of crash course in life experience. This sort of thing may be totally alien to you (FIVE ROOMMATES?!?!!), or maybe you've had a similar experience, but here's how it really is to live in an apartment with several other people.
When you first move in, it's like an exciting, built-in party.
Do we even need to invite anyone else over? Because everyone's already here!
Then you realize there's definitely not enough space in the fridge for six people's groceries.
"Okay but like...guys.......where am I supposed to put the milk?"
Coordinating shower schedules can get a little difficult.
"Ohhhhhhh my God I was JUST about to get in there!!!"
"Dude you've been standing in your towel for 20 minutes on your phone."
As well as coordinating cooking times.
You don't know the meaning of the word claustrophobic until four people have been trying to make dinner at the same time.
Personal space becomes a thing of the past.
That's just how it is when you're living like sardines.
So does alone time.
College is a never-ending barrage of people everywhere always, anyway, so you just kind of get used to it.
But you always have someone to talk to, and tell all of your crazy stories to.
Some of my best college memories have been just sitting in my room or at the kitchen table listening to my roommates tell me about their day.
Sometimes it can all get a little too much...
Like when quiet hours aren't always respected.
"GUYS I HAVE AN 8 AM TOMORROW I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL CUT YOU IF YOU DON'T TURN THE TV DOWN AND SHUT UP RIIIIIGHT NOOOOOOOW"
When we slack on the chores.
"This place is f****** disgusting."
Or when we're just straight up getting on each other's nerves.
Michael Scott nails it.
But at the end of the day you're thankful for your little makeshift family, because you always have someone with you to....
Ride the struggle bus.
Be unapologetically weird.
Party.
Eat junk food.
Remind you to be your best.
And form a bond that will last long after college is over.
There are a million pros and cons of having a lot of roommates, but I think after all this time, I'd say that the pros come out on top. No matter the struggle, any irritations, whatever--I'm always thankful for them and I can always say that my life is never boring.
