As I sit on the floor of my room, trying to figure out what exactly I should say about my roommate, she gives me the perfect opening line. She whines, "I have to wear so many nice clothes this week!" As she tries to kick her leg high enough to touch the top of the refrigerator. Weird, you say? No, that's just a typical late night with my roommate of over a year.
I remember when we met freshman year. You were the overly enthusiastic one, while I didn't speak to my classmates for about a month. I would find out later that you thought of me as the "painfully shy girl." You were one of the first people on campus I opened up to and really broke out all of my crazy on. I will always appreciate you for that.
Deciding to live with you was one of the best decisions I have made at Catholic. When we moved in together at the beginning of sophomore year, I was so unbelievably excited for all of the fun times I knew we would have. And have them we did! From late night jam sessions to leaf piles to getting ready together in the morning, sophomore year was a trip and a half.
You have been there for me at my best and my worst. You have supported me in all of my artistic endeavors, and have given me such an unbelievable amount of love. You have seen me cry and rage more than I would like others to know. You have eaten a gallon of ice cream with me when school just got to be too much. I will always be grateful for that.
When you changed your major this summer, there were a lot of mixed feelings. Obviously, I was happy for you because you knew what would be the best path for you and had the courage to take it. I was also incredibly sad that I would not have you by my side in the music school. If we weren't still planning on living together, I don't know what I would have done.
Living with you has had its ups and downs, of which I have made you fully aware. When you don't turn off your alarm at 6 a.m. because you sleep like a rock, I kind of want to throw something at you (love you, but we both know you could never get up that early, anyway). Your motherly instincts can come across as nagging at times, especially when you gently remind me I need to wash my dishes (even though I haven't been home since I used them). I could also go without you kissing your boyfriend in front of me every five seconds when he is over.
All of that aside, I would not want to trade the experience of living with you for the world. You have helped me learn so much about being a person, a friend and a roommate. I don't know what I will do without you when I'm studying abroad next semester, but I look forward to coming back and having more roommate adventures with you as seniors. You are my squirrel and I love you.
