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Getting to know your significant other in a very different way
By Samara Nazir, Jayplaywriter
The saying goes that you don't know people until you've walked a mile in their shoes, but someone else's stiletto heels or oversized sneakers can be an uncomfortable way to learn a person's intimate secrets. So, if you really want to get to know your sweetie, why not just spend the day in his or her room — alone.
So, after some begging, Trey Allen, Wichita junior, and Becky Burns, Topeka sophomore, agree to switch places for a day. Allen and Burns have known each other since last year, but feelings began to develop when Allen and Burns hung out most of winter break. Although they have officially been dating for only a few weeks, Allen and Burns say they have a strong relationship that they feel comfortable in. Swapping places won't change that too much, let's hope. The rules are that neither person is allowed to tell his or her roommates the situation and neither is allowed to leave the room more than five times. Afterward, they'll both report back to me.
DJTrey
She walks past the oversized Jay-Z poster and carefully plugs in her laptop, not wanting to knock over Allen's musical
After class, Burns parks her car, but instead of walking up to her apartment, she climbs the steps to Allen's. She begins to regret her decision to switch as soon as she walks into his apartment. As she plows through the mess, she finds dirty socks and dishes piling up in the apartment's corners. The mess is bearable, but Burns doesn't know how much longer she can handle the stench of four boys before she faints. She finds safety in Allen's clean room and her new laptop.
equipment, which includes a microphone placed in the center of his room. After AQL Instant Messenger becomes boring, Burns tries to find something to occupy her time. What she finds are well-picked clothes and shoes most all from the Buckle — hanging in Allen's closet and piles of CDs stashed everywhere.
"Just to clarify, I was not snooping around in his stuff. I was just viewing things with an interest," Burns says.
Using Allen's bathroom is no problem for Burns, but she misses her tropical shower curtains, scented soaps and personal things. Allen's bare bathroom contains nothing but the basics: soap, toothpaste, a brush and towels.
The pink factor
Allen is used to hanging out at Burns' apartment, so nothing is unusual for him except the absence of Burns herself. The fresh floral scent welcomes Allen as he opens the door. The pile of shoes barricading the doorway, however, is not so pleasant. Stepping carefully, Allen strategically makes it past the minefield. He jumps onto Burns' pink bed as soon as he enters the room. He grabs a hold of her pink pillows and takes a nap facing her pink curtains;
yes, pink is everywhere. At about 2:30 hungry after the nap, Allen decides to grab a snack at McDonald's. After a Big Mac and fries, Allen attempts to entertain himself with Burns' collection of Sex and the City DVDs. Surprisingly, he likes them. The thought of sifting through Burns' stuff does cross Allen's mind, but he quickly decides against it, not wanting to upset the several "organized" piles of clothes and papers on the floor.
papers. "I guess eventually I'll get to see it all, right? Oh, and no pun intended," Allen says with a wink.
Results
After a day, the test ends and both are ready to return to their rooms, but not without some souvenirs in hand. Burns leaves Allen's room with some hip-hop
CDs and walks into her fresh-smelling apartment with a sigh of relief. In dire need to see color she quickly runs to her bedroom.
Before Allen returns to his apartment, he grabs season five of Sex and the City. The suspense of how the season ends is too much to handle.
At the end of the experience, I asked Allen and Burns what they learned.
"That Jay-Z poster really freaks me out," Burns says. "I almost screamed when I woke up facing it."
"Well, it's better than being bombarded with the pink brigade, for sure," replies Allen, flashing a smile at Burns.
snazir@kansan.com
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Jayplay 03.10.05