Coming to college can be quite the awakening if, as a child, you lived in a room by yourself. You suddenly have to share a space of two feet by two feet with another person you may or may not know. Each year will bring in another person that will soon know all your morning habits, know what you look like with a horrible bed head, and what snacks you keep secretly under your bed. Yes, that person may be finding out more about you, but you find out about them all the same. It’s an adventure that takes two to tango. Though, there are those moments when people really don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.

It’s that time of year when everyone chooses who they want to share food with. Be prepared. If you live with me, there will never be a dull moment. I’m still surprised you agreed to be roommate. Do you truly know what you are asking for? Like how did I even convince you to live with me for an entire year? But as I ask you those questions I know I wouldn’t want anyone else to live with me. It is practically a proposal but instead of giving you the ring, I’m giving you dirty dishes to clean. I know that this coming year will bring us closer together, literally and figuratively. Be ready for decoration preparations and being nervous for what tight space we will have to fit ourselves into. I’m sorry for the look on your face as I bring in twenty thousand suitcases and boxes that will hopefully fit in our room. I’m sorry for bringing too much, you can never have enough hair ties and warm sweaters. And with the obviously stated fact that we will bring too much clothes, my closet is an open store for you to have.

Since we live together, there will no doubt be times of tension and some arguments here and there. I am sorry for anything I do wrong, I am human and I make mistakes -- it is a given. I hope that whatever happens during those arguments, no one will ever be permanently hurt and that through the troubled times our relationship will bloom instead of wilt. We wouldn’t have decided to live together if it wasn’t for the fact that we think that this will work out happily. We will have each other’s backs. Just know that on nights you come crying to me, I’ll be ready with a baseball bat and a box of tissues.

Yes, I will defend you at your toughest times. Yes, I will listen to you at 2 a.m. after a drama-filled day. Yes, I will cry with you on dark days. Yes, I will share who I like at that moment in time. Yes, I will be up for adventures late in the night knowing that I have an 8am class the next morning. Yes, I will provide a pantry full of snacks and share them all because everyone loves food, who doesn’t? Yes, you will see what I look like when I haven’t brushed my hair or changed until two in the afternoon. Yes, you’ll notice that I have an obsession with Netflix and chocolate. Yes, you can reprimand me for not doing my laundry in three weeks. Yes, I notice the pile of homework that you will keep encouraging me to do. Yes, we will be the dream team of the century and our campus better be ready!

Even though we are months out from actually living together, I’m excited for what the year will hold. There will be up and downs but we will make it work. Be the Tom to my Jerry and let’s conquer this year. I’ll be counting down the days till we have trouble fitting everything from our cars into our room. Can’t wait to share memories and laughter. So this is a thank you. Thank you in advance for being the person to be the one to live a small box with me -- it’ll be worth it, I promise.