At the Catholic University of America, President John Garvey made the decision that all on campus housing was to single sex. CUA’s single-sex housing is supposedly due to the belief that single-sex housing is more reflective of the views of the Catholic Church. Some students may even say, however, that this division between the sexes has led to an increase in drinking and other dangerous behaviors since students are bound to strict visiting hours and will break the rules by sneaking through windows and by any other means necessary.
So, what happens when a girl like me, who has lived in single-sex housing for the past two and a half years of college, is thrown into a living situation with boys?
Well, at first I was nervous because not only were the student residences co-ed, but they were also co-ed within the suite. This was something so foreign to me and I didn’t want to be uncomfortable, but after this semester I have learned that living with guys can be the best living situation.
I was lucky enough to live with two great guys. They easily became my best friends throughout the course of the semester. So, here is why I think living with boys is a great experience:
1. It’s a more realistic living situation than division of the sexes.
Out in the real world there aren’t rules and regulations that separate males from females. When you are fresh out of college and looking for somewhere to live (if you choose not to live at home) you’ll most likely not be picky over people who are paying your rent.
2. There was no drama.
Most of my friends are boys, so when it comes to housing at CUA I am often struggle to find female roommates. As a result I have had very bad experiences from being thrown into random rooms during housing selection. This semester’s living experience has been one of the best for me. It was an absolute joy to live with my male roommates, but don’t get me wrong, Nate did have his fare share of overly dramatic complaining.
3. They have my back. Always.
Nate and Mike have become like brothers to me and I know they will always have my back. When we were out at clubs and bars, the boys always made sure I made it home safe. They kept creepy guys away from me at clubs and were always really good fake boyfriends. Mike was especially considerate about where I was when we were out. He always made sure to tell me when he was leaving for the night and that my friends and I had money for a cab ride home. He is like a real life superhero.
4. They kept the room really clean
There was no sexist expectation that I would clean the room or be cooking all the time. If anything, I was the messiest out of the three of us and Mike spent the most time cleaning. Although, we did have to make sure that there was freezer space for Nate’s ice cream. A huge shout out to Mike for always keeping the room clean when no one else wanted to! You're the real MVP.
5. They were absolutely hysterical.
Our apartment was constantly full of laughter. We were always making fun of each other and joking around. Our personalities were so different that we had such a unique dynamic in the room. Nate was the loud boisterous goofball while Mike was the lighthearted positive bundle of excitement.
6. I didn’t care how I looked around them.
I wasn’t constantly trying to look good for them ever, which may be a concern for some girls. I laid around the suite in my pajamas without any makeup or my hair done. Just like I would have been with girls in my suite.
As you can see, living with boys can really be no different then living with girls. CUA’s archaic policy that divides the sexes is unnecessary and needs some updating.
Living with boys isn’t weird, uncomfortable, or scary. There was no awkward sexual tension and we all had each other’s backs when going out and traveling the world.
Thank you to Nate and Mike for making my living experience and abroad experience absolutely amazing. Thanks for going on trips with me when it was just the three of us. We’ve made unique memories that will last us for years to come. I hope to meet up with you guys soon, but if not then we will all be reunited at Mike’s wedding in 20 years.
