They say that college is the time of your life where you discover who you truly are. Many people in society today accredit a lot of their life from college. People would reminisce frustrating and fun times when they were in college. For two years, I haven't yet hopped on the train of discovering, but I have been observing. Especially when it comes to roommates.
Roommates are the social norms when it comes to college life. You pick a dorm, move in and meet the person you'll be sharing the room with for the rest of the semester. I have jumped from roommate to roommate for two years and roommates are as diverse as the animals in the Amazon rain-forest. Here are a few that I have observed over my two years of college:
1. The Phantom Loaner:
I am very careful with my things. I make sure that I have everything I need and that everything is in its rightful place. But when something I own (let's say...my nail clippers) goes missing, I freak out. At first I think that it's my fault and that I've misplaced it. No big deal. But when I spend the whole day looking for it and it doesn't show up? Well, my friends better keep away because I will RIP through the dorm looking for that thing like it was the Holy Grail. After the failed treasure hunt, I become suspicious and I would interrogate my roommates if they've seen it (Don't tell me that I should have done that first, that's how my brain works! Deal with it). Most of them would deny even seeing it, until you have that roommate that pipes up saying they have it. They were "borrowing" it and would return it right where he found it (at this point, they can have it). You're supposed to alert the owner before taking it, not the other way around!
2. The Vampire
This roommate seems fine the first time you meet him, until you get to understand his sleep schedule. This is one roommate where you notice him sleeping a lot during the day, and then getting up all energetic when the night draws near. It's probably that the smell of alcohol beckoned him from his deep slumber or the realization that the sun is no longer burning the ground below him. It's unnatural! All I know is that this individual stays up all night long doing whatever normal human beings are supposed to do in the morning. Just remember to bring a wooden stake with you (You can never be too sure).
3. The Invisible Man
You know you have a roommate, you've seen his stuff and have seen them move around. But the mystery is: have you seen him at all? The answer is no, you never see him and you never will. This type of roommate comes and goes like the wind, invisible but still felt. You notice things around his side of the room disappear and then reappear in a different area. You know he comes to the dorm but you never seem to catch him, like he has the invisibility cloak as a part of his daily attire. Things around your room change, but you never catch him in the act. All these point to your defense that you're not just hallucinating an imaginary roommate (or are you?),
4. The Party
Ah yes, who could forget the staple of every college life? Every college or university has this roommate in spades. Still, this physical being of alcohol, caffeine, and loud music throws one hell of a party, even at the expense of your precious sleep schedule (and your sanity). This roommate's calendar is lined with every large event found on campus, from frat parties to school musicals. It doesn't matter if the venue is your dorm bathroom or study halls, you always know when they're around.
5. The Samwise
We're talking about the pink adorable best friend that would go to the ends of the earth for you (or the ends of Middle-Earth). From the first day of moving in, you and your roommate begin to develop a bond that both of you couldn't have noticed it at the time. Even when your personality polarizes with his, your roommate seems to understand your troubles and reasons why you do things. Yet, he doesn't judge you or make a snarky comment. This type of roommate is a rare, golden ticket. This is one roommate that will never leave your side, even when you two may have moved to different dorms or colleges. Just like Sam in Lord of the Rings, even through thick or thin, this roommate is your crutch whenever you fall down. Just like the faces of a coin, The Samwise Gamgee is a roommate on one side, a true friend on the other.
Meeting your college roommate is an experience, for better or for worse. It may take time to find that golden roommate, but once you do your college experience will be just as amazing as that feeling of stepping into the university grounds.
Roommates are the social norms when it comes to college life. You pick a dorm, move in and meet the person you'll be sharing the room with for the rest of the semester. I have jumped from roommate to roommate for two years and roommates are as diverse as the animals in the Amazon rain-forest. Here are a few that I have observed over my two years of college:
1. The Phantom Loaner:
![angry frustrated embarrassed embarrassed facepalm](https://media0.giphy.com/media/tZiLOffTNGoak/200.gif)
![movies animation animals cartoon twilight](https://media3.giphy.com/media/UXY9QpFAiTjcA/200.gif)
This roommate seems fine the first time you meet him, until you get to understand his sleep schedule. This is one roommate where you notice him sleeping a lot during the day, and then getting up all energetic when the night draws near. It's probably that the smell of alcohol beckoned him from his deep slumber or the realization that the sun is no longer burning the ground below him. It's unnatural! All I know is that this individual stays up all night long doing whatever normal human beings are supposed to do in the morning. Just remember to bring a wooden stake with you (You can never be too sure).
3. The Invisible Man
![cheezburger anime animation goodbye hide](https://media0.giphy.com/media/v5VOE6TRh9JPa/200.gif)
4. The Party
![cockatoo head bang](https://media2.giphy.com/media/26tPlLo9tjl8HuzAY/200.gif)
5. The Samwise
![the lord of the rings hug frodo samwise](https://media2.giphy.com/media/QM6nfBpKUxgKA/200.gif)
Meeting your college roommate is an experience, for better or for worse. It may take time to find that golden roommate, but once you do your college experience will be just as amazing as that feeling of stepping into the university grounds.