Freshman year was a wild ride for me. So when I moved up to Sophomore year to take up the random roommate lottery again, I was very nervous. I met my roommate Kim (not her real name) less than two weeks into my third semester. She wasn’t (and still isn’t) much of a talker. She is quiet, organized, more careful about germs, and very considerate. And now, when I look back on my first weeks with her, I feel grateful she walked into my life.
Since we are both pretty isolated people, we always ended up together in our room almost all times of the day. It was only a matter of time until we became close. Of course, I was the one to break the ice, because I just can’t stay quiet for too long. Especially if I am going to see them all the time every day anyhow. She actively listened whenever I spoke about my passions. I even got her into one of my favorite YouTubers, The Game Grumps. We connected easily, talking about our writing prospects and what we want to do with our futures. She held my hand through all my hardships, and I held hers in return.
The irony of it all is she is a devout catholic while I am a LGBTQ+ atheist who does questionable things in the eyes of god. Yet despite our differences, she still saw me as a person and did not judge me for my alternative lifestyle. Whenever I come home at a late hour after an “event,” she helps me find things I lose, talks to me when I ramble on about my interests, and we fall into deep conversations about anything under the sun.
Kim understands and tolerates my follies. She doesn’t complain when I sing, or stay up late, or keep the room cold, etc., etc., that a normal roommate would complain about. Of course, I try to meet her in the middle, accommodating both of our needs. Kim doesn’t get annoyed when I talk too much, we eat out together, and she understands my niche needs and pet peeves. Everything about her is perfect for our roommate dynamic. It’s a big change compared to my first roommate, and I am very grateful for it. Although I do wish she decorated her side of the room, haha.
We have matching interests, such as video games, YouTube, animals, nature, and dragons, and we struggle in the same spots too. We both have turbulent relationships with our significant others, both struggle with our self-image, and prefer to stay inside our room rather than go out and interact with large groups.
In the end, Kim is a perfect roommate. I wish I had met her sooner, and I will make sure to keep her in my life after college. So far, she is one of the best things to happen to me in my college experience.