When I started college last year, I was a little scared and nervous. I had just moved from another state, and I was about to attend a school that I didn't really want to go to. I was, however, extremely excited about being on my own for the first time, and meeting my roommate. While it wasn't the most perfect experience, I definitely learned a lot and made some pretty unforgettable memories. Here are some things that I learned from my roommate freshman year.
1. It’s important to communicate.
GiphyI'm kind of a neat freak and I always insisted on having the room completely clean. My roommate, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. So, I took it upon myself to clean the entire room all the time, without asking her to help, or confronting her about her messiness. I was too scared of hurting her feelings, but I was also getting frustrated that I was the only one cleaning all the time. Needless to say, all of that pent up frustration was released during a discussion that I finally had the guts to have, and living conditions improved immensely.
2. Taco Bell makes everything feel better.
This is a real thing. Whenever I had a rough day, my roommate would take me to Taco Bell, and everything felt fine after that.
3. Bollywood movies are amazing and a perfect escape from reality.
Perfect Friday nights consisted of us sitting on my roommate's bed and watching three hours' worth of Hindi drama and songs. Before I met my roommate, I hadn't watched a single Bollywood movie, and to be honest, I don't know how I ever survived.
4. Gorge yourself on ice cream when you’re sad, and then get over it.
Sharing a pint of Ben and Jerry's whenever one of us did poorly on a test quickly became a tradition, and my roommate taught me that while I should wallow in my misery for as long as I needed to, it was important to focus on how I could do better for next time.
5. Always be willing to try new things.
GiphyMy roommate from last year is an AMAZING dancer. When I say amazing, I mean exceptional. So I wasn't surprised when she became the co-captain of our college's Bollywood fusion dance team. I was, however, surprised when she pushed me to join. Anyone who knows me, knows I have two left feet and am probably one of the clumsiest people alive. At first, I didn't want to join the team, but she kept asking, and I finally did. Even though I wasn't the best dancer, I'm so glad I listened to her because it was probably one of the most fun things I did that semester.
Although the relationship between my roommate and me wasn't perfect, I went through so many different experiences with her and I was able to learn so many important life lessons.
