Room mates

August 21st doesn’t mean much to people that aren’t attending my college next year. But for those who are, this date will stick with us long after the dates for registration or open house have faded from our memories. On the morning of the 21st, I was introduced to my room mate. The introduction was short, only a web page containing her email address and her name, but it was enough. I started my search on Facebook, but eventually found her on Myspace. Someone who isn’t a college freshman in a dorm might call this creepy and think me a stalker, but in reality, I am just desperate. I crave the slightest hints about who I will share the next year with; whether she parties or not, if she’s into drugs and alcohol. Dreaded images of her passed out drunk flashed through my mind, but her actual site was much cleaner. I was relieved to find a picture of her and her dad as her profile picture. A girl that has her dad in her profile picture can’t be that bad, right? I sent her a strategic note that sounded cheerful and light, hoping that it wasn’t too obvious how long I had taken on the few lines. Some hours later, I got a reply, and we have been conversing since. I was surprised to discover how much we have in common. If someone were to judge on appearances, it would seem that we wouldn’t get along too well. She just doesn’t look like the kind of girl I would have hung out with in high school. However, we have been able to bond over shared interests in reading, TV shows, and the determination not to gain the “freshmen fifteen”. She seems really close to her family and seems even more nervous than me to be leaving home. The experience has really taught me not to judge on appearances, but to give the person some time to show who they are. As I go into the last week before I leave, it is a comforting to know that my room mate is someone that I can relate to and understand.