The Roomies

I'll be completely honest here, one of the things I was the most nervous about with coming over to Ireland with out knowing anyone else was who am I going to live with. Except for freshmen year at Converse, you choose who you live with. Which of course means, I picked my best friends to live with and I was lucky enough to switch rooms as a freshman to live with my best friends. Now I was relying completely on luck for good roommates. We didn't even fill out a survey on cleanliness, study preferences, or anything. The only thing I asked for was the option of a same sex suite versus co-ed living.

Freshmen Roommates

Sophomore and Junior Year Roommates



Senior Year Roommates

 On September 1st when I was allowed to move in to Deanshall, I partly hoped that I would be the first to move in so I could settle in before the awkward welcomes began while also hoping there would be someone there so I wouldn't be completely alone in this new place the first night. When I walked in to my apartment the room key for the bedroom across from mine was hanging in the door meaning the resident had checked in, I heard a language I thought to be French coming from one closed bedroom door and the hum of a hairdryer from another. But other than soft sounds from closed bedrooms and food in the fridge it was a uneventful first day. For the first few days I tried to keep my bedroom door propped open as much as I could, pulling on the advice Converse CA's tell freshmen upon moving in. Sadly no meetings happened and no one else followed my lead of open doors. This was followed by lonely meals eaten in my bedroom, until finally my roommate Rebecca started eating in the kitchen and I joined her. And finally around the second or third week we all had gotten over the initial awkwardness.

 

 

Next door to me I have fellow American and Southerner, Elaine. Rachel, who isn't pictured above, resides across from me but lives not too far away and so is home Friday through Monday. Then we have Marilyne, from Strasbourg, France, who is the real cook in the apartment. And lastly, Rebecca from Newcastle or party city in England. Since getting past the awkwardness we have celebrated together with decorations and cakes Rebecca's 24th birthday, Elaine's 21st, and will soon celebrate Marilyne's 22nd.

 

These ladies are hilarious, supportive, and I can now say very good friends. As my days left in Ireland become fewer and fewer, I count my blessings at having people who I not only get along living with but that get along well enough that we actually want to hang out outside of bumping into each other in the kitchen. So thank you to whoever keeps sending me all this good luck!