What It’s Really Like Living in a House with Six Girls

I think most people can agree that the transition from high school to college is overwhelming (to say the least). As fun, free, and exciting as those first few months in college are, they are equally challenging. The idea of living in a completely new environment with no parental guidance is thrilling, but the real thing feels like a slap in the face. Suddenly, you are thrown into a world where self-discipline, responsibility, and time management are key. Nonetheless, it is also a world full of opportunities and freedom. 

Getting accustomed to a brand new lifestyle was difficult enough. In March 2020 — the middle of my freshman year — COVID-19 hit. After finally settling into my environment at UMass, we were sent home for the remainder of the semester. It was nerve-wracking and confusing to process. The next year and a half consisted of quarantining, mask mandates, social distancing, and online classes.

Towards the end of 2020, my friends and I secured a six-bedroom house for our junior year. As excited as we were, we were also nervous. Yet another major transition awaited us: living in isolation to living with six girls. Our social lives were about to go from 0 to 100. Mentally preparing for another big move was overwhelming, but I knew this would be a positive change. I had high hopes that by the middle of 2021: vaccines would be available and we’d finally be able to go back to some sort of normalcy. 

I was warned over and over by family and friends of the drama I would face in such a big house. I was confident that we would all get along, but I couldn’t be sure until we were actually there. Fast forward to October 2021 and I could not be happier with the situation. Having our own bedrooms might be the most beneficial aspect because as much as we love being together, alone time is necessary. Having my own space to unwind has been so important for my mental health this year, especially as my social life has heightened again. We always have the option to spend time together, but we’re never forced to be on top of one another. 

Creating a routine that works best for you is crucial to succeeding in college. After COVID, this is something I’ve especially tried to focus on because it’s so easy to fall back into bad habits. All six of us have different majors and are part of different clubs and organizations on campus, which means our schedules vary greatly. On weekday mornings, I usually only see one or two of my roommates before heading to class. By the time I get home in the middle of the day, most of them are out doing their own things. By nighttime, though, we almost always hang out and recap. It’s a perfect balance. 

Because we are so separated and busy during the week, we make sure to enjoy every minute of the weekends. From getting dolled up to dancing in the streets to ending the night with Domino’s, we always have a blast when we go out together. Not only is it fun, but it also makes me feel safe because no matter where we go, we stick together. Even if a few of us get split up, I’m almost always with at least one other girl. In the case that one of us ends up elsewhere, we have each other’s locations on Find My iPhone. Knowing that I have a group of friends who can have fun while also looking out for one another is so reassuring. 

From freshman year to now, a lot has changed. No one would have ever expected COVID to happen, and it put us all on completely new trajectories of life. As much as I feel like I’ve lost a lot from the past year and a half, I am more grateful now than ever for what I have now. Living with five other girls in a house is something I would’ve never been able to picture in the past. Now that it’s a reality, I love and appreciate every second of it. 

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