I don’t know about everyone, but for a big chunk of the time I lived in my parents’ house I had my own room. I know that not everybody has been this lucky; when you are like one of my friends who has eight siblings, you would have to live in the Biltmore to have your own room. But I had my own space, my own bed, my own closet, my own bathroom and, most importantly, my own train set that I did not have to share with my siblings. Whenever my brother started farting on me or my sister started talking about shoes, I had my own Phortress of Philitude where I could play with my train set.
When I came to college that all changed … something that makes college and early adulthood unique is that these years are shared with a roommate. It can be a strange thing for some people to cohabit a 20-by-20 box with another fellow for four years. This experience is enjoyable for some, but for others it is more of a drudgery. I attribute this to the phenomenon that roommates come in all shapes and sizes. There are cool roommates and lame roommates. There are roommates who are never in the room and roommates who devour seasons of TV on Netflix (along with Cheetos and Capri-Sun). There are roommates that turn into the Hulk when you leave a spoon in the sink and roommates who have let that mac and cheese mold since Labor Day. There are roommates who sing in the shower and roommates who pee in the shower. There are roommates who talk to you when you have headphones in and roommates who haven’t spoken to you since you moved in. We all have these experiences; I hope that yours has been a great one. Mine has been really interesting.
You see, I live with the quizzical, eccentric and uncanny specimen that is Colby Wallis. We have been going strong now for four years. I phrase it like that because we really are like an old married couple. We chose to room together during Honor’s Symposium in 2010, and we have been stuck together ever since. We joke that the only reason we remain roommates is that we are the only ones that can tolerate each other. If you do not know Colby Wallis, you need to. I totally want to meet and interact with all of you, but you also really need to meet Colby. There is a good reason I talk about him all the time, but I will leave it to you to find out why.
I joke about Colby a lot, but really I love the guy. Roommates are a blessing, and I have witnessed that first hand. I do not know the circumstances between you and your current roommate, but know this: having a roommate is an opportunity to grow together towards God. Rely upon your roommate. Don’t just live with them, share your life with them. God gave us each other so that we may mutually encourage each other and “spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” (Hebrews 10:24). Don’t pass up this opportunity for real relationship. Whenever you get mad at your roomie, when he or she used your toothbrush or ripped your flag from Florence, remember that this is your brother or sister in the faith. College is tough, but it sure helps to have someone go through it with you.
And in case you were wondering, I actually did have a train set. Fake smoke and everything.
