Dear Froomie,

You are the first roommate I’ve ever had. I’ve never lived in the same bedroom as someone before, nevermind the size of our little dorm room. At first, I was apprehensive about not having a space all to myself. Let’s be honest, no matter how social you are, everyone loves to be alone now and again. I say this with love, but at first... It was weird. Sometimes I just wanted to listen to Netflix out loud or cry on the phone to my mom or boyfriend without an audience. It was weird to unlock my door and see someone in MY room who was just as entitled to be there as I was. At first, I didn’t know if it would be weird to sit in the room with no pants on or listen to my music out loud, but all of that changed very quickly.

Flash forward eight months and you can find us smushed in a twin bed together watching a scary movie, or standing in our underwear going through each other's closets, trying to find two perfect outfits. At this point, I can’t imagine not having someone to share my late night delusions with or to write my texts to boys for me!

Aside from being my live-in therapist, stylist, sous chef, and study buddy, you have taught me so much. You’ve taught me that I’m not the only one that will bottle up sadness for weeks and then cry when I can’t find the pair of socks that I want to wear. You’ve taught me that I’m not the only one that wears the same pair of leggings four times without washing them. You’ve taught me that I’m not the only one who listens to the same song six times in a row when I really really love it.

I’m so happy to know that the things I thought made me so weird are not weird at all. Although I’ve been delighted at our little similarities, living with someone raised so differently than me has also opened my eyes to things I’d never thought of before. Overhearing your phone calls with your parents has definitely made me jealous at times. I love my family, but being the fast paced Northeastern family that we are, my phone calls with them are usually squeezed in during my dad’s car ride to work or a jaunt to the grocery store where my mom’s attention is half on what I’m saying and half what she’s going to whip up for dinner that night. When your family all sits together to FaceTime you and hear about your day, help you plan out your schedule for next semester to the T, and collaboratively advise you on love life, it makes me a little heart sad.

You inspire me when you stream videos from your church on your laptop or when you get up early and go for a run. Being privy to the little parts of your routine that no one who isn’t living with you never sees definitely causes me to scrutinize my lifestyle. However, living with you has also made me grateful for little things that I didn’t realize about myself. I’m now glad that I have brown eyelashes so putting on mascara doesn’t have to be the first thing that I do every morning! I’m glad that I’m not the type of person who wears her heart on her sleeve. After watching you get hurt by stupid boys way too many times, I’ve learned that I’m glad that I don’t reveal my emotions readily. Until I lived in the same room as you, I never realized quite how long it takes for me to open up to someone in comparison to other girls our age. And, above all, I’m definitely glad I’m not Pre-Med.

So, roomie, we’ve come a long way. We had the awkward conversations at the beginning and then, sooner than I thought possible, they became so natural. We’ve had funny conversations, deep conversations, and conversations that if anyone overheard, they’d probably have us committed. We’ve made countless inside jokes, we’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve fought and we’ve had love fests.

I’ve held your hair back and you’ve held mine. We’ve wiped each other’s tears and quizzed each other for tests. We’ve been through it all and I can honestly say that I don’t know what I’m going to do what I don’t have you lying on a bed five feet away from mine. I’ll miss consulting you on all my life’s problems, no matter how miniscule or life altering they are. I’ll miss hearing about your problems. I’ll miss laughing with you and learning from you. I have to say thank you for all that you’ve taught me. They say that in college you learn more outside the classroom than you do in it, and such a huge part of what I’ve learned this year has been from you. I hope that I’ve been able to open your eyes to some things, just as you’ve opened mine.

Now, when we first get home in a few weeks, I know we’re going to revel in having space to ourselves again. We won’t have to constantly use our headphones, answer questions about our day when we just don’t feel like talking, or tiptoe around when the other one is sleeping. It’ll be great for a while, but I know that one night I’m going to be laying in the dark and have a thought that I just want to share with you. I can yell it across the room but you won’t be there to answer.

So if this moment comes for you, just know that I’m only a phone call away. I’d still love to help you draft your texts to boys or find a perfect outfit. Not having my constant psychologist, hair stylist, and backup alarm clock is going to be weird, but I know we’ll be back to smushing in a twin bed and watching scary movies together in no time! Just remember, no matter how many states away you are, you’ll always be my froomie.

Happy Summer!

Thanks for everything,

Your roommate