College Roommates, And The Lack Thereof
This post was first made on August 11th, 2007, on Facebook.
I have a single dorm. This makes me incredibly happy. Yes, I am thrilled to not have a roommate.
Now, don't take this to mean that I'm antisocial, because I'm really (sort of) not. I like people well enough. I've got friends and I hang out with them a lot. The thing is, I'm an only child. When I'm done with my friends, I go home and I go into my room, where it's just me and my computers, and I'm not obligated to be sociable or pleasant or even to wear clothes if I don't want to. I enjoy being around my friends, but at some point everybody needs some time off. I mean, everybody likes donuts, but you wouldn't eat donuts for a week straight, would you? Of course not - you'd steal away some time here and there to have some quiche or garlic bread, or maybe just a lot of Pepto, you fatty. If I had a roommate, I'd finish up with my friends and head back to my dorm, and then there's my roommate, and even if I loved him like a brother I'd still probably not be so jazzed about having to maintain my public persona for even longer. I'm just used to coming home and being alone, being able to spontaneously air guitar along with Boston and not have anyone see it. I think everybody has two personalities - the 'with people' personality, which is wacky and extrovert, and then the 'alone' personality, which is the guy who isn't trying to please anybody and just sits around eating hummus and watching Scrubs. Those of you who share living space with siblings probably spend a lot of time in 'with people' mode - maybe you aren't funny and extrovert per se for your brothers and sisters, but you sure as hell aren't acting as if there's nobody else around. I, on the other hand, spend a lot of my time around the house in my 'alone' personality. We go through a lot of hummus.
Yes, college is a place of learning, and I suppose that I should learn to spend a lot more time around people, but is it really hurting anyone because I like to spend an hour or so alone with my thoughts (and goat porn) when I can? Everybody has quirky elements of their personality that they hold on to. Kristin Vanderburgh writes down song lyrics when she's bored. Michael Snively loves his calculator. Dan Speer tries as hard as possible to be a douchebag at all times (or maybe he's just a natural). And I just happen to like to be able to spend some time away from people every now and then. That and I'm germophobic, distrust all politicians, and will periodically blog about my life when I'm bored. The other upshot of my living arrangement is that I've spared some innocent student the experience of living with me for a year.
I have a single dorm. This makes me incredibly happy. Yes, I am thrilled to not have a roommate.
Now, don't take this to mean that I'm antisocial, because I'm really (sort of) not. I like people well enough. I've got friends and I hang out with them a lot. The thing is, I'm an only child. When I'm done with my friends, I go home and I go into my room, where it's just me and my computers, and I'm not obligated to be sociable or pleasant or even to wear clothes if I don't want to. I enjoy being around my friends, but at some point everybody needs some time off. I mean, everybody likes donuts, but you wouldn't eat donuts for a week straight, would you? Of course not - you'd steal away some time here and there to have some quiche or garlic bread, or maybe just a lot of Pepto, you fatty. If I had a roommate, I'd finish up with my friends and head back to my dorm, and then there's my roommate, and even if I loved him like a brother I'd still probably not be so jazzed about having to maintain my public persona for even longer. I'm just used to coming home and being alone, being able to spontaneously air guitar along with Boston and not have anyone see it. I think everybody has two personalities - the 'with people' personality, which is wacky and extrovert, and then the 'alone' personality, which is the guy who isn't trying to please anybody and just sits around eating hummus and watching Scrubs. Those of you who share living space with siblings probably spend a lot of time in 'with people' mode - maybe you aren't funny and extrovert per se for your brothers and sisters, but you sure as hell aren't acting as if there's nobody else around. I, on the other hand, spend a lot of my time around the house in my 'alone' personality. We go through a lot of hummus.
Yes, college is a place of learning, and I suppose that I should learn to spend a lot more time around people, but is it really hurting anyone because I like to spend an hour or so alone with my thoughts (and goat porn) when I can? Everybody has quirky elements of their personality that they hold on to. Kristin Vanderburgh writes down song lyrics when she's bored. Michael Snively loves his calculator. Dan Speer tries as hard as possible to be a douchebag at all times (or maybe he's just a natural). And I just happen to like to be able to spend some time away from people every now and then. That and I'm germophobic, distrust all politicians, and will periodically blog about my life when I'm bored. The other upshot of my living arrangement is that I've spared some innocent student the experience of living with me for a year.