Going from having my own room and bathroom to sharing a room
with seven people and a bathroom with an entire floor were certainly aspects of
college life that I was stressing. At
home, I liked having my own space, silence and darkness at night, the ability
to leave my lights on until whenever I was going to bed, and basically the
freedom to do almost anything without worrying about disturbing someone around
me. At the time, little did I realize
that all of those things are luxuries—things I definitely took for
granted. Moving in to supplemental
housing, I knew I would have to try to adjust to being careful about not only
disturbing one roommate, but seven roommates.
I would not be able to have all the lights on, make noise, etc., and I
could not expect complete silence and darkness when I wanted to sleep. People have things to do and work to get
done, even if it is 2 a.m.
I was
fixated on “try your best” before moving in, and upon moving in, I realized
that I would have to do more than that.
It wasn’t going to be about trying.
It was about doing.
Take the situation, accept it for
what it is, and deal with it.
That was my new philosophy. I wouldn’t have time to “try” living in a
room with eight people. I would just
have to do it, whether I liked it or not, no trial beforehand.
Honestly, that’s how a lot of life
goes. Sometimes the first time is your
only chance to get it right. Now, I’m
not saying it is wrong to make mistakes or that mistakes or trying things out
are bad. But, I have realized how
important a first effort can be. I have
also realized how just taking things for what they are, whether they are people
or situations, and not dwelling on little negative aspects or trying to change
things that won’t change has made life easier for me.
Complaining
won’t fix anything. Thinking about how
bad something will be will not, in any way, make it better. It will be bad before you even experience it. Stopping to be negative solves nothing, so just
keep going. It will get better
eventually, and you won’t be stressed out still when it does. Accepting situations as they are and not
stressing myself out about them does wonders.
In the words of Nike, “Just do it.”
Adjusting to sharing space was (and still is) one of the hardest things for me to adjust to here at school. I like to have at least some personal space to call my own, and that seems to be at a minimum in dorms. One of my favorite things to do is sing to my favorite songs when no one is around. I'm far from a talented singer, so I don't want anyone else to hear my wretched versions of any songs. Finding a time when my roommate is gone is hard enough, so I can only imagine what that would be like in supplemental. I get agitated easily with people when I spend too much time around them, also, so I'm glad none of your posts have been about ripping a girls hair out in her sleep or anything. You're a lot more level-headed than I could ever be!
ReplyDeleteFrom going to being an only child and having most of the house to do with what I pleased to a tiny cubical was definitely an adjustment. This semester I moved onto my sorority floor. Though it is not supplemental, it certainly feels like it sometimes. Instead of 8 roommates I have over 40. I wanted to move on, and I was excited to. However there was a lot about it I wasn’t ready for. I wasn’t ready for the constant noise and food everywhere. I also didn’t realize how much fun I was in for. Never again in life will I have to opportunity to live with these many girls, who I adore, again.
ReplyDeleteI really like this blog and the message behind it. There are definitely situations in life that we will be handed in life that we will have no control over and will have to deal with the best way that we know how. Growing up, I have practically always had my own room, so coming to college and having to room with a complete stranger was a new and trying experience for me as well. I applaud you for dealing with 7 roommates, I don't know what I would do!
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