How I’m livin’: My new digs

BY ONEIKA RAYMOND

My name is Oneika. I am almost 29 years old…. And I currently live in a dormitory with about about 30 Americans who are not even old enough to drink.

*Cue violin music*

The above is my humble abode for the next 3 and a half weeks, until July 15th. Living with other people, as someone who grew up as an only child who had her own bedroom and bathroom, is difficult for me.

Not that I haven’t done it before.

As a (poor) exchange student in France, I lived in a French dorm and shared a bathroom with Frenchies (who actually DO shower, despite the stereotype). I was puzzled by the lack of toilet seats and the prevalence of pink toilet paper (those of you who have travelled to/live in France know exactly what I’m talking about).

When I moved to France again to teach English, I shared a one-bedroom apartment with a crazy American who apparently had an aversion to flushing her own waste down the toilet
, which made for some unpleasant surprises when it was my turn to use the loo *shudder*.

When I went back to university to do my teaching degree, I lived with roomies in two different houses off campus (I had to switch houses because the first one I was living in had a nasty cat owned by another roomie who would routinely pee on the couch and walk across the kitchen counter). Lovely.

Oh, the joys of co-habitation.

Anyway, I am currently resting my weary, jet-lagged head in a residence hall. It is cold and drafty. The carpet in the hallway is worn and stained. I am once again sharing a bathroom. The other, younger people staying here have decorated their doors; signs with their names on them, feathers, and clipboards with pen and paper attached beg passerby to knock (or at least leave a message if the occupant of the room is not in). The blanket that people in the residence hall gave me so I could stave off the cold had a long, blonde hair in it *shudder*. I have shower shoes so that the balls of my foot don’t have to touch the slimy floor of the common shower. My classmate mentioned that her mom said bedbugs were a real problem in uni dorms in the States, so every time I put my head on my pillow I wonder if I am at risk.

July 15th can’t come fast enough.

SHARING IS CARING

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

51 Comments

  • I'm a college student and I never wanted to try dorms. :/ I hear they are part of the college experience but I think I'll just be a big head ache for me! I like my own room and bathroom.

    Plus I like living at home rent free!

  • oh god…kuddos for you for going ahead with that kind of set up. I'm not sure I could have braved it. July 15th is really not so long off, so you can definitely hang in there! Just don't cave when the other (pre pubescent) dorm residents knock on your door to ask you to go buy them booze. And hell, you look like you could totally pass for 20…why not tell a little white lie for the next 3 weeks? 😉

  • Girl, that dorm room is posh, compared to most!..:):)

  • Girl, you have loads of closet space! Nice! It will pass by fast with all the homework and assignments!

    Enjoy the experience 😉

  • Hahaha. Oh goodness. Lord love you. Look at the situation you find yourself in! Praying for an extra dose of patience!

  • Hey someone else who likes their space! I always wondered if I had a bit of a princess mentality. I even have had trouble living with a boyfriend.
    For bedbugs, supposedly you can look for reddish/brown stains on your mattress, near the seams. That would be the bedbugs feces (sorry..). If no stains, than you are prob. ok. And they don't really live in clothing, mainly in beds, so if you stick to your room than you are good.

  • Ugh, I did not enjoy dorm life in college. I only survived two years.

    stories from the trenches: my roommate peed on the floor and didn't clean it up.

    the next year my roommate cut her pubes but left the clippings on the toilet seat.

  • Welcome to America!

    You're going to have a great time. We're actually pretty nice people.

    And the bedbugs thing is more regional. I live in Texas, and have never had a bedbug problem. The infestions have been more in the midwest region, and I think I remember hearing something about New Jersey. But all that was months ago.

  • *Sigh*.
    I really sympathize with you because in all honesty I doubt that I could do this at this stage of my life…
    I am in my 30's and have spent many years enjoying my privacy so to loose that even for a short time would be pretty hard. Do-able but still hard. I thought there would be some student accomodation with private bathrooms- even it technically just a teeny closet sized shower/toilet/sink?
    Oh well, whats life without a little adventure right?
    Look on the bright side- you're getting your degree, the accomodation is free (I hope!) thus saving you money and best of all it's only temporary!

  • Welcome to the US!! Room looks nice; thumbs down on the communal bathroom. Is it worth it for you to purchase a cheap pillow, sheets, and blanket at Walmart? Best of luck to you!

  • Welcome to the US!! Room looks nice; thumbs down on the communal bathroom. Is it worth it for you to purchase a cheap pillow, sheets, and blanket at Walmart? Best of luck to you!

  • I NEVER stayed in a dorm while in college. I cannot imagine having to share a shower with a bunch of other females!! I go in enough public restrooms to see how nasty people could be! Gross!! And I agree about bedbugs being regional. We don't have bedbugs where I live, but I heard that big cities like New York have them alot.

    But I hope everything goes well and enjoy yourself here in the States!!!

  • I'm not at all sure that rural eastern Washington qualifies as an introduction to American life, but welcome to the States.

    If it's any consolation I turned 30 to find myself sleeping on an inflatable half-mat tucked in the corner of a room I shared with someone. Three people in a one bedroom, two fashion students and me without the excuse. We managed six months without killing each other and I finally graduated to a larger apartment with a nice couch in the living room that I called home.

    Considering your extensive travels you'll do just fine. But I would be worried about those dorm room door signs. Watch out for the LOLspeak.

  • Blech. You would have to pay me some big cash for me to stay in a dorm room. I did that for my first year in uni and that was enough. Hells no, I say. (The room looks good though; at least you're not sharing with some giddy uni type.)

    As for the bed bug thing, don't put your suitcase on the bed. They (the bugs) like when you do that and they'll get in your clothes and you'll bring them (the bugs) home with you… Sounds like a good time, eh?

    July 15 is just around the corner!

  • It will be over before you know it. Like you, I HATE shared living. I did that for all 4 years in university and it was not horrible for time entire time (some roomies were horrendous while others rocked) but I didn't like it. Just keep telling yourself, "just a few more weeks, just a few more weeks."

  • @liveletlive: Aint NOTHING better than living rent free!

    @crystal: you might be on to something… lol

    @Patricia: I guess it's not so bad! At least the room is big!

    @kuesooM: Tons of closet space but I haven't even unpacked my suitcase yet LOL.

    @Hannah: Thank you!! I really need the Lord right now!

    @gia: Thanks for the tip! But now I'm afraid to look…

    @Deidre: Um… what?! Details!

    @Shena: Thanks for the warm welcome! I have met quite a number of nice Americans since I've gotten here!

    @sprite: How I wish that the accomodation was free! I have to pay for it… Sigh… Shocking that they don't offer rooms with their own private bathroom! argh!

    @ElleX: Thank you!! Would you believe that this town is so small that there's NO Walmart?

    @ButterflyKisses: Sharing a toilet/shower grosses me out to no end! But not showering grosses me out more, so I'll have to suck it up and share. 🙁

    @legrandezombie: Ooh, sounds like fun (or an episode of the New Melrose Place). Where were you and what were you doing exactly?! What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, eh?

    @Tanya: thanks for the tip! When are you in Toronto, again?

    @Rhona: 4 years?! God bless you!

  • D and I arrive in town on July 27th. I think we'll be there for 3 weeks; we haven't bought our return tix yet. We'll hook up during that time.

  • I was in Paris either in search of my marbles lost through living or because I had suddenly lost all my marbles. Can't really say it was like Melrose Place because it wasn't something people would tune into, but someone did fall off the toilet and break it which was exciting.

  • I went to Paris in 2007. I never saw pink toilet paper. I did have a man scream out obscenities to me to get me to come to the sex show.

  • It’s an awesome paragraph in favor of all the internet people; they will take advantage from it I am sure.

  • naturally like your web site however you need to
    check the spelling on quite a few of your posts.
    A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I will
    certainly come again again.

  • My spouse and I stumbled over here coming from a different web address and thought I might
    check things out. I like what I see so now i’m following you.
    Look forward to finding out about your web page
    for a second time.

  • Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
    Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?

  • Hi my family member! I want to say that this article is awesome, great written and include
    approximately all significant infos. I would like to peer extra posts like this .

  • Excellent web site. Lots of helpful information here.
    I’m sending it to several friends ans also sharing
    in delicious. And obviously, thanks for your effort!

  • This website truly has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to
    ask.

  • If you wish for to take a good deal from this post then you have to apply these methods to your won webpage.

  • Greetings from Florida! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, awesome site!|

  • Wow, superb blog format! How long have you been blogging for?
    you make blogging glance easy. The total glance of your web site is excellent, let
    alone the content!

  • I was curious if you ever thought of changing the structure of your blog?

    Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But
    maybe you could a little more in the way of content
    so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having
    one or 2 images. Maybe you could space it out
    better?

  • Hey! I understand this is somewhat off-topic but I had to ask.

    Does building a well-established blog like yours require a massive amount work?

    I’m brand new to blogging however I do write in my journal on a daily basis.
    I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to
    share my experience and feelings online. Please let me know
    if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for new aspiring bloggers.
    Appreciate it!

  • I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog.
    I really hope to view the same high-grade content from you
    in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated
    me to get my very own site now 😉

  • Hi there! This is kind of off topic but I need some
    advice from an established blog. Is it very hard to set up your own blog?
    I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick.

    I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where
    to begin. Do you have any points or suggestions?
    Thank you

  • Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the internet the easiest thing to be
    aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think about
    worries that they plainly don’t know about.
    You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal.
    Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

  • I enjoy looking through an article that will make people think.
    Also, thank you for permitting me to comment!

  • Hello just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly.
    I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.

    I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same
    outcome.

  • Hi there mates, how is everything, and what you want to say concerning this post, in my view its really awesome in support of me.

  • Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally,
    it seems as though you relied on the video to make
    your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why throw away your intelligence on just posting videos to
    your blog when you could be giving us something informative to read?

  • Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of
    this site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very hard to get that “perfect balance”
    between user friendliness and visual appeal. I must say that you’ve done a fantastic job with this.
    Additionally, the blog loads extremely quick for me
    on Opera. Outstanding Blog!

  • What’s up every one, here every person is sharing these kinds of knowledge, so it’s nice to read this weblog,
    and I used to pay a quick visit this webpage all the time.

  • Hello to every , since I am really eager of reading this web site’s post to be updated on a regular basis.

    It carries good information.

  • Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google,
    and found that it is really informative. I am going
    to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate
    if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing.
    Cheers!

  • I’m curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be using?
    I’m experiencing some minor security issues with my latest blog and I would like to find something more safe.
    Do you have any suggestions?

  • Greate article. Keep posting such kind of info on your page.
    Im really impressed by it.
    Hello there, You have done an excellent job. I’ll certainly digg it and for my part recommend to my friends.
    I am confident they will be benefited from this website.

  • What a information of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable familiarity about
    unexpected feelings.

Comments are closed.