Before college, I was clueless, to say the least, on how to live on my own. Ranging from cooking, cleaning, laundry and everything in between, I was completely lost. Luckily, my roommate is also my second mom. She deals with all of my nonsense and is there for me through the ups and the downs. I wouldn't survive without my roommate. Figuratively and literally. Like I seriously wouldn't know what to do without her. So thank you, Julie, for always putting up with me no matter how crazy I am.
"I don't care if you aren't hungry, you need to eat."
I think she tells me this at least twice a day. After circling the dining hall for the fifth time, I usually give up and tell her I'm not eating. She then goes on to tell me that I am not allowed to skip meals and she will spoon feed me if she has to. So thank you for making sure I always eat and never skip a meal. Even if it means I may gain the freshman 15. And even if it means chocolate ice cream with chocolate chip cookies is my dinner.
"When the water starts to bubble that means it's boiling."
And for the days that I refuse to eat in the dining hall, I settle for some pasta in the room. The only issue was that I had no idea how to actually make the pasta. She taught me where to fill the water to in the pot and how to know that when the water is actually boiling. Yes, I am an adult. Yes, I still doubt myself when boiling water. Yes, I make her check the pot each time to make sure the water is actually boiling.
"Yes, you need to separate your whites, darks, and colors."
And I even learned when to use hot water vs. cold water and delicates vs. bulk. She taught me everything there is to know about laundry maybe a million times. Yet, I still manage to forget and call her every single time I go to do my laundry. I mean who knew you actually had to hang your clothes to dry and not just throw them in the dryer. Or that you can't just wash all of your clothes together, regardless of color or material. If it weren't for her, all of my whites would become colored and my jeans would be ruined from the dryer.
"You're going to be cold, bring a jacket."
Even though we are both from Florida, she somehow still knows how to dress for a brutal Michigan winter. I swear there is nothing this girl doesn't know. Every morning, I ask her how cold it is outside and what I should wear. After going back and forth, I eventually give in and add that extra layer or decide to bring my jacket. If she wasn't here, I'd probably try to wear my sneakers in a full-on snowstorm. Or end up freezing my hair off. I almost learned that lesson the hard way when I tried to convince her that I didn't need to blow dry my hair before going outside.
"You can't go out unless you finish your work."
She makes sure that I have all of my work and studying done. And yes, if I don't finish my work then I'm not allowed to go out. No excuses. Sometimes it may not be what I want to hear but it's what I need to hear. She gives me the tough love that I need even if I make her feel like the bad guy. She keeps me grounded and I'm forever thankful for that.
"And don't wake me up when you get back."
When she does let me go out, I am given strict instructions. Of course, I have to text her updates on my night and get back at a reasonable hour. But the most important rule is to never wake her up when I get back. So even if I have the craziest story to tell her, I have to control my excitement and wait until the morning. But to be fair, she has really early classes so I'll let these few rules slide. And nothing beats when I convince her to come out with me and we get to make those crazy memories together.
"Even when you're stupid, I still love you."
She is not only my mom but also my lifelong best friend. If you haven't realized by now, I would be a complete mess without her. The craziest part of this all is that we went to preschool together and had no idea until we decided to room together After 16+ years, we somehow reunited and ended up as college roommates. Everything happens for a reason and clearly, we are meant to be in each other's lives. I'm not really sure how I've gone this long without her but I'm so happy that I never have to live without her again. So even when I'm stupid and on your last nerve, just remember that I love you more hehe!!
