Our first year in college, most of us arrive in minivans packed with more stuff than we will… Our first year in college, most of us arrive in minivans packed with more stuff than we will ever need and the confidence to conquer the world. With a 24-pack of soap, six gallons of shampoo and parents proudly sporting their “Pitt Parent” T-shirts, we move into our dorm rooms. We’ve waited years to come to college, and freedom is finally a reality.

There is the ceremonial arranging of the things, the awkward introduction to a roommate we are not sure we will like and mandatory attendance at the incredibly stimulating floor meetings. As freshmen, this all seems like a new adventure. I’m not picking on freshmen because as much as we want to deny the facts, all of us were once consumed by freshmen mania.

After the excitement wears off, it doesn’t take long to realize that the dorms really are not that great. Our thoughts turn to moving out of the dorms and into our very own apartment.

It’s at this point that many college students, believing that they are some sort of omniscient campus deity, make roommate selections. Perhaps, we don’t always make wise decisions because our better judgment is clouded by the reality that we are one step closer to total independence. Many of us do have wonderful roommates, who we absolutely love living with, but stories of the bad roommates are our favorites to tell.

One of my good friends moved into a townhouse last summer with a mutual friend. Right before school started this friend moved out unexpectedly, leaving the now solo roommate with the responsibility of rent, utilities and a two-person lease. After failed attempts to contact the fleeing friend and a management company growing increasingly impatient, it would seem the situation could not get any worse. But, it would not be a story worth telling if that is how it ended.

A few weeks ago, my friend walked into her townhouse, only to discover that the roommate – who hadn’t been seen in six months – had returned for the furniture. Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, she had taken everything – the couches, lamps and kitchen table. She left one broken lamp in the middle of the floor, which actually ended up in the backyard out of frustration. Initially infuriated, my friend, with time, saw the humor in the situation, and it has become a constant punch line in our jokes.

If a townhouse with no couches or kitchen tables doesn’t strike your fancy; how about an apartment with no electricity? I’m not kidding. Another one of my friends (you’re probably thinking I need new friends) lived without electricity for over a week. There was a miscommunication between the landlord, electric company and one of her roommates, and the electricity was shut off.

After a prolonged vacation back to simpler times, when evenings were spent by candlelight and milk kept in an ice chest, the electricity was eventually turned back on. If we wanted to look at the situation in a glass-half-full sort of way, we could say that the minor disruption to the modern world was a life lesson that needed to be learned. Personally, I would prefer to learn my lessons in front of my computer, with a fully charged cell phone in my pocket.

I have two great roommates who I really like living with. We have a lot of fun together, even though, in many respects, we could not be more different. Learning to live with another person or a group of people can be very difficult, but it is part of growing up and learning to take of care of yourself. With time, we all have to learn to pay our electric bills, go grocery shopping and possibly live in situations that aren’t ideal. My advice to you is this: Know what you are getting yourself into and try to make wise decisions when making living arrangements. However, the reality is that people are unpredictable, and problems will occur. All we can really do is sit back and laugh in the aftermath.

In the midst of stolen furniture and no electricity, hopefully we will all find great roommates and friends that will last a lifetime. Besides, who needs couches when kickball has become a living-room sport?

E-mail Kim at [email protected].