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OPINION
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN—WEEKLY SUMMER EDITION
6
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111 Staffer-Flint
Crazy roommates, toothpaste blobs and dorm rooms
Life. College. Life in a college dorm room.
Ah, yes, the college experience just wouldn't be complete without that precious time spent in a precious college dormitory. With less than one month left before my college life will forever change, I often reminisce about my past year on Daisy Hill. Some of the fondest and most unforgettable memories during my freshman year live within the walls of McCollum Hall.
I think I went into denial within minutes of arriving at my new home on Daisy Hill after my dad proudly proclaimed, "My Navy barracks were better than this." While my parents went on making fun of my new "box" I quietly gazed at the bright blue toothpaste blobs that had somehow made their way onto the ceiling above. I stared down the hundreds upon hundred of dust bunnies invading the hideous brown tile floors. I looked at my yellow stained mattress and wondered how many
times, for how many years had this poor, dilapidated piece of furniture soaked up bodily fluids of the wildest sort. When I finally mustered up enough courage to actually sit on my bed, I gave myself a slight heart attack as the mattress abruptly sunk a foot lower while letting unbearable squeaks of agony. I will never forget the infamous fire alarms in the wee hours of the morning sending all 900 residents trudging through the snow and bitter cold in their pajamas all because a drunk person decided to release the fury of the fire extinguisher in a perfectly peaceful room definitely not on fire.
And of course, roommates, perhaps the most integral part of dorm life. I was lucky enough to not only have one, but rather three roommates all in one school year. I will never forget Roommate #1 as the roommate who never failed to come in hollering at three in the morning out of sheer drunkenness, or the night before my important midterm when my roommate decided that it would be fun to romp under the covers with her male friend, leaving me scarred for life,and most definitely not in a clear state of mind to take a test in a matter of hours.
perspective
Melissa Shippy opinion@kansan.com
Out of all of my roommates I will remember Roommate #2 the most. Arriving at semester, Roommate #2 seemed a bit strange, but I pushed my preconceived notions aside and attempted to befriend my new roommate...that is until she threatened to kill me. Ah yes, the person who I shared my box with wanted me dead for reasons still unknown to me. I will never forget the following days, fearing for my life, when I moved in with two friends next day, three of us cozily lived in the room, or
Inn hotel was my home for the time being. And I will never forget how the Housing Department really didn't seem to care that they might "wake up with one less resident tomorrow morning."
Frankly, when I moved in with Roommate #3 I was not the happiest of campers, but then again I was just lucky to have a roommate that I wouldn't be afraid of attacking me with my stapler or hurling her computer screen at my head, or perhaps beating me to a pulp with her Spanish textbook in her attempt to kill me in the middle of the night.
Even though my stay in the dorms has been, well, less than perfect to say the least, it will never be forgotten. I will forever remember the toothpaste blobs, my squeaky bed and my cuckoo roommates, which will eternally remain as some of my most memorable college moments here at Kansas.
Shippy is a Wichita sophomore in pre-med political science and international studies.