Summer B, a.k.a. summer classes at UF. It’s here. The day I dreamed about or maybe dreaded for 18 years has arrived. College move-in day was a proud moment for my parents, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t be a day full of stress and sadness. Of course, like any other incoming freshman, my parents and I worried about me passing all of my classes, making friends, and getting along with my roommate. However, I instantly felt lucky when I connected with my roommate at the beginning of summer through Twitter. She messaged me immediately after I tweeted, “I’m looking for an AIM roommate for Summer B #UF20.”
Communal living is a new experience for anyone and something I knew I would have to adjust to. I heard many horror stories of roommate experiences and these stories replayed in my head like a broken record.
I never thought I would have my own roomie story to tell.
The first two weeks were lonely for me. I only saw my roommate for a total of 10 minutes. She seemed to avoid our room like the plague that hits every freshman dorm fall semester. When she was in the room, she was sleeping. I had to tiptoe and open the chip bag as quiet as possible. I felt like I was in my kitchen past midnight at my parents’ house. I had to be that quiet.
I was convinced she hated me. I was genuinely confused because she approached me about being my roommate. I really thought we would be close, based on the conversation that went down in the DMs. Come to find out, my roommate was in a “UF20 Girls” group chat that was created before we got to campus, but I obviously wasn’t added. Because she had those girls to befriend, I was not needed.
I wanted to put up an ad on Craigslist that said, “ROOMIE FOR SALE: NEED GONE ASAP.” It was urgent. I wanted a new roommate. I couldn’t live the rest of summer term in classes and cooped up my dorm room.
Coming from high school where I was on the varsity cheerleading team, secretary of my class and heavily involved in student government, this was new to me. I had many friends and a group of about five really close friends. I was regretting every decision to attend UF. I figured I could combat this by hanging out with some peers from my high school and hometown. Maybe I could find my home away from home with them. Nope I was wrong. They dragged me out of my comfort zone and each time they dragged me to a fraternity house party. I felt so out of place with them.
BUT… One day, everything changed. It was like night and day. Me and the nightmare roomie were both sitting in our desk chair at the foot end of our twin sized bed. The music was playing, and we were preparing for our finals coming up in a week. I finally felt like I belonged. This is the environment I was looking for. At this moment, I knew we were the perfect roomie match after all.
I went back to being by myself.
7 months later, I tweeted, “Thankful for @Mermaid*****___ for being a six-week roommate that turned into a lifelong friend.” From 30 minutes waiting on a text back to receiving daily FaceTimes. From a hibernating roommate to spending quality time with each other. No arguing and fighting, we get along just fine, sharing stories and joking with each other as we cook in the kitchen or eat snacks in the room.
It dawned on me that we only had a week left of Summer B term before we went on break for the rest of summer. We didn’t have plans of remaining roommates for the fall term, but I knew we would be the best of friends. I met three new roommates through Instagram for the Fall term, but I didn’t want another beautiful nightmare like this one.
Here we are, entering our junior year, and still roommates. I guess I didn’t have to put her up for sale after all.
