What A Rec

What a rec.... in a good way! As the end of my 30 days of getting to know my future roommate our group all went over to the rec center and played some wally ball for a couple hours. In getting to know Tiffany I found out that she likes to work out to relieve stress and it makes her feel better in the morning.

     On Sunday we all went to eat out at a really nice Chinese Buffet, the food was amazing. When you get a new roommate one thing that is really important is to have them join your group of friends, this way they feel welcome, and will make more friends through you. Eating out is one great way to do that because living on campus can get dull real fast if you never get out and explore the town. No matter where you live there are always things to do if you get creative.

When was the last time you got off campus with your friends?

What A Fail

     I feel like through out this whole exercise Tiff and I have done a really great job trying to get to know each other. On Saturday we were planning on going to late night, a small get together that our school puts on every Saturday night. Unfortunately Tiff and I had a bunch of home work that we needed to get done so we decided to not go.

     I understand that these things happen. Some times I feel like my professors plot against us to give their students as much homework as possible in one sitting. I called Tiff today and she said that she has gotten a lot done today so we might still eat supper with the group tonight. What a bummer.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

     Last night my group and I all went to go see the girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I thought this would be a fun thing to do with Tiff. I really hadn't heard much about the movie before going into, but all my friends wanted to see it so I just went with the flow. One thing is for sure, I will never watch that movie again! It was repulsive it was all about rape, murder, and more rape, not my kind of movie. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it though so maybe it was just me.
    Tiff, the rest of the group and I all went back to my dorm after the movie and decided to hang out for a while. We decided to start a game of Brawl which is always fun, my friend Tom had a really bad cold so I made him some soup. It was great spending some quality time with everyone, lately we have all been so busy it seems like.

What was the last movie you saw with your friends?

Jam Session

     Tiff, as I mentioned before is my future roommate and we have been eating 3 or 4 times a week together. Tonight after we finished up dinner with the group we all went back and just relaxed for a while. It was kind of like That 70's Show we were all just chilling in a circle talking about our day and plans for the summer. The guys were all playing their guitars while Tiff and I were making more plans about our room for next year.

     We want our room colors to either be purple and blue or green and pink, we haven't made up our minds yet for sure. The thing that I'm looking forward to the most next year is that my whole group will be together in the same building. The best thing that anyone can do for themselves is to find a group that they really feel like they belong to, a place where they feel like they really belong.

If you felt all alone at college how would that affect your experience?

What's The Set Up?

     My future roommate Tiff and I met today to talk about the layout of our room next year. Having a general plan of what the room is going to look like is a big deal when it comes to move in day. When I first moved in it was a mess because everyone had their stuff outside in the hallways making it impossible to walk around the dorms. Since so many people were lofting their beds all the tools were gone. The room was really hot for the first 2 week because the building wasn't air conditioned and I didn't have a fan with me.
   
     To avoid mass havoc this year Tiff and I have a plan. We are planning on lofting our beds right when we get there so I'm going to go grab the tools while she sets up the fan and refrigerator. After the beds are all set up we will bring in the rest of our bags so we don't have to maneuver around them. I am excited because I think this year is going to go very smoothly.

-Thought to take away: Have a plan!   

What are some ways that you are preparing for move in day?

Family Dinners

     One thing that has brought people together for hundreds of years are family dinners. People come all around for a nice home cooked meal and the casual conversation that follows. Generally the bigger the group the better because someone always has something to talk about that will start other conversations. Having large dinners with your roommate and group of friends can really bring out a sense of community and togetherness.
     I try to eat dinner with my group of friends every night and especially on holidays. Before Christmas Break we all got together and made spaghetti with a homemade red sauce, garlic bread, and mixed vegetables. Having dinners like this may take up time but it is well spent. The best part about this is that everyone can have a different job. Tiff brought the plates, I made the sauce, Jess and Lizz cooked the noodles and garlic bread, Mike watched the vegetables, while Tom, Connor, and Cesar made the table. After the big meal we all exchanged gifts. There are many parts to a meal that can easily be split up to give everyone something to do. If the Jersey Shore cast can do it I'm sure anyone can.

NO PARENTS!!!!

     When people come to college for the first time it can take a few days for them to realize that no one is going to watch or take care of them. I know I was a little worried when I first left my parents because they really helped motivate me and support me in anyway possible. Going from a supportive environment to relying on yourself to search and find the answers to your problems can be frustrating.

     College's are well known for crazy partying, drugs, and other various scandals mostly because people no longer have someone around to tell them no. When discipline is no longer present usually there are only 2 outcomes, people will go crazy and usually end up in a lot of trouble  or they will buckle down and discipline themselves. College is a crazy time for many people and it is okay to have fun, you are only young once but don't let that get in the way of your education.

KingpallaresMX. "Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) (Official Music Video)." YouTube.
     YouTube, 01 Oct. 2011. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybLrdztNWms>.

What Makes The Difference

     The roommate a person gets can really affect their overall college experience. I chose to have a random roommate because I wanted to meet and make strong connections with new people. In a way I was really lucky because she was extremely nice and respectable, but at the same time I really wanted to get out and meet a bunch of people but she was more shy.

     Coming to college at first really stressed me out because I had just gotten out of a relationship, I don't smoke and I don't drink. I was really lucky to find a group of people who respect my personal values and opinions on that kind of stuff. College would have been entirely different for me if I had not found the group I am with now. I am only a  freshman and I have already had 3 friends already drop out. I kept in contact with them and they said the biggest reasons they dropped out was because they didn't feel like they had very many friends, and that the classes were a lot harder than they expected them to be.

Seanmod. "Im All Alone." YouTube. YouTube, 23

     Mar. 2008. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JyvmcoyHdw>.

Makin It Work

     Many people choose to have a random roommate because they are worried that if they room with someone they are close friends with that it might ruin their friendship. Living with someone is entirely different than being best friends with someone, you have to be around this person all  the time, share the space equally, understand each others schedules, and most importantly show respect.

     College freshmen tend to be more difficult to live with because they still aren't sure who they really are or what they want out of life. Young students are constantly re-evaluating their morals and finding out what is true to them. A lot of my friends have changed, some are more aggressive, others are now in relationships, and many have joined sororities and fraternities. I am sure that I have changed a lot too.

Have you had roommates or close friends that have changed since freshman year?
     
     

SPIKE!!!

     Last night my group of friends went out and played volleyball, it was already getting dark but we had time for a few games. My future roommate Tiffany was there at the time and joined us. I have seen her quite a few times since I started my 30 days but we have both been so busy we really hadn't had time to just relax for a while and chill.
     One thing that I have learned from this experience is that it really takes time to get to know someone. Building a friendship is not a sprint but more like a marathon; it's not always about the finish but the journey along the way. When you invest time into something you care about it will show and people will be more interested in investing their time with you.

What is one way that you have invested time in your friends and roommate?

The Unknown Roommate

     Before I came to college I was really nervous to find out who my roommate was going to be. When I was filling out the personality questions I tried to answer as truthfully as possible, but I wondered if others were doing the same. I was worried if we would get along, if she would always blare her music, and if she was going to have her boyfriend in the room all the time, I wondered if she would be grumpy in the morning; I had a lot of concerns  when I first started looking for a roommate.

What were you worried about the most with your new roommate?

Good Cop Bad Cop

      During the first week of living with a new roommate it is important to lay down the rules so that everyone knows where they stand. The idea behind this is to make rules before rules are needed.  I met with my future roommate for supper tonight and we went over some of the rules we plan to follow next year. Here are a few:

1.)If someone is going to stay the night the other roommate must be informed the day before.

2.)Food can be shared but you have to ask before wearing another roommates clothes.

3.)If a roommate is trying to sleep there should be no visitors.

See You After Spring Break!!!

I ate dinner with my soon to be roommate. We talked a lot about our past roommates and our experiences with them. During supper I was about to talk to a lot of my friends who have had both good and extremely awkward and embarrassing situations arise with their roommates.

I will be back after Spring Break and let you in on all our run-ins with college life.