Other than my actual family, my roommates are the only people I've lived with for extended periods of time. You'd think that five guys living together would be a hassle, but I love it. They are a reasonable approximation of a family, and Tuesday night is family night. This is when we usually gather in Matt and Jeritt's room and shoot the shit for an hour or two. If I tried to list the topics we cover, it would make most gentleman and a lot of truckers blush, but it is an invaluable component of the roommate experience. I remember being a freshman and wondering how I could keep a sliver of privacy while still living with so many people. The answer is you don't. In order to fully embrace cohabitation, you must be willing to be a masochist--namely be made fun of and have your self-esteem turned inside out regularly. Men interact by constantly ragging on each other, and it is the truest form of bonding we have. Any misstep you ever make will be frozen in time, and repeated ad infinitum in front of your parents, girlfriends, and guests. It is the unending quest of your roommates to shame you in new and innovative ways every day. It is incumbent on you to treat them in the same way. Women do not understand this--girls pretend to like their friends in public and hate each other in private, while Men act like they hate their friends in public and continue to say mean things in private. Having roommates who are incredibly quick and sharp makes it even harder to get away with doing/saying anything wrong or exhibiting weakness. It is much like sharks--we attack at the merest hint of vulnerability. It sounds cruel and impossibly inhuman, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Except Ramirez: I'd trade him for a 5-pack of Trident.
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2 comments:
we've had this fight at least once before but i'll say it again. i don't agree about your observations concerning girl friendships. true female friendships just don't work that way; there may be insecurities girls bring out in each other, both huge and petty, but genuine female friends squash those down pretty quickly and are actually honest with each other about the stupid things us girls worry about competing over even when it's each other we may be competing with. what women are you hanging out with who teach you these things??? i can think of at least 2 or 3 other women-related comments you've made that make me think you've been spending time in some questionable female company!
Haha. I agree, cohabitation brings the best experiences, conversations, laughs, and memories. I think that's great you've truly learned to master the art of understanding how it works- a lot of people don't (me included).
Hope you had a lovely holiday, with both of your families! :)
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