Excitement wafting through the air, blaring roars of cheer followed by an intense, focused silence settling in the living room, I entered to see my roommates teamed up in a passionate game of coin-spinning (The player spins the coin like a top while everyone else waits to see how long it lasts on the table. It is as lame as it sounds). They had been at it for an hour. A whole hour.
Cue: New Girl theme song
Hi! This is Jess, a girl who found herself living with four guy roommates. To be honest, my situation is way better than it sounds, since my roommates are some of my closest friends from freshman year, and not a random group I found on Craigslist. However, I have still come to realize: you cannot completely comprehend the male brain until you start living with a pack of guys.
Initially, despite knowing them for a whole year, I was terrified. Scrolling through hundreds of Reddit posts, I was convinced of an upcoming hygiene disaster, the pain of constant yelling, and discovering almost insane eating habits. However, maybe I did not see what was truly coming my way, and I assure you, it was more than pleasant.
Breakfast served with a ketchup smiley face on a sick day, dragging me to watch Minions on a day I was upset, buying me a celebratory bottle of wine when I got my first job (since I was not “bro” enough to share a beer crate) and standing with a glass of water outside the washroom while I puked my guts out after. My roommates did it all, and so much more. I knew they were my friends, but I never knew it could feel like I was living with a bunch of dads. Despite the persistent cribbing about my cooking, constant roasts directed at me and more than usual tantrums, I always know I have someone to call if my bus runs late at night.
Nonetheless, more than often, I do wake up to deafening screams directed at the TV while watching a game, or one of them preparing a full-fledged English breakfast at midnight. It is also surprising how all of them collectively manage to invest all their energy into random breaks or leaks in the house, and how every menial activity turns into a group sport. I also learned that guys take as much (if not more) time to get ready to go out as girls do, and they often care more than what we know as a popular belief; I did not know a guy would take 30 mins just to set his hair (blow drying, hair wax, serums – you name it).
Whenever I tell anyone about my living situation, I see concern immediately replacing their former facial expression. On the contrary, though, living with guys is just as living with anyone. More than this, everyday I learn that life is not all New Girl – maybe, except the part where everyone is broke and that you can truly find a family away from home in your roommates. Not a bad deal, to be honest.