I currently live in an apartment with twelve girls. I repeat, twelve girls. And it’s not a spacious, multi-level Ann Arbor apartment. Nope, we live on one floor, with one kitchen and one small family room. The Sevillanos (I’m studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain) do a lot of things differently, and living arrangements is one of them.
This is my third year living with girls. Freshman year, I was in a quad in Oxford. Sophomore year, I lived in an apartment with four girls. Last semester I lived in a house with five girls. And now, here I am with twelve. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into when I found out about my living arrangements here, but living with so many girls in one very small space has really helped me understand, well, girls.
Five Observations
1) Contrary to popular belief, many girls are not clean. We complain about filth and talk about how much the dirt annoys us, yet we continue to do the things that create the filth. Examples: refusing to physically take out the garbage or wash the dishes. And then there are the girls (few and far between) who actually cannot stand the dirt and therefore end up doing all of the cleaning. Thank God for them!
2) Hair is everywhere. The sink, the floor, the shower, the blankets – it’s on every surface you can imagine. I frequently look down and see a hairball the size of a small kitten attached to my socks.
3) Food thieves do exist. Attention all ladies: if you didn’t buy the food, it’s not yours. If you would like to have something that isn’t yours, simply ask!
4) The most frequently said three words are, “I’m so fat.” No, you’re not! So stop saying that!
5) There’s incessant need to chat with anything and everything around them, even if it’s with themselves at 2 in the morning.
Five Ways to Cope
1) Patience. We’ve been told it’s the golden rule since age five, so it must mean something. We all know that people always have reasons for the way they act. So even if it seems completely irrational, annoying, or ridiculous, understand that everyone thinks differently and realize that a little patience goes a long way.
2) Confrontation doesn’t have to be rude. If you have a problem with someone or something, simply confront the person in a kind way and explain
what the issue is. This tends to work a lot better than allowing your anger to build up, causing you to act in a passive-aggressive manner. Just remember, don’t attack the other person!
3) Take “me” time. When all else fails, leave the house or apartment. It’s amazing how much better you can feel after a little alone time. Even if you only have 20 minutes, go for a walk around your neighborhood. The fresh air will help, too.
4) Laugh. Everyone has a sense of humor, regardless of whether they steal your food or not.
5) Stay positive. Negative energy is contagious. And although it’s hard to always be positive, and everyone deserves to have a few bad days every now and again, try your best to look on the bright side of things and surround yourself with people who do the same.